Surprisingly Pure
by mypseudonym
Summary: Hermione Granger was just a normal girl until a summer surprise turned her world upside down. Pureblood Hermione, AU, OOC, non-DH compliant. eventual SS/OC HG
1. Chapter 1 Surprise Guests

Surprisingly Pure- by mypseudonym

Chapter 1- Surprise Guests

AN- This story was inspired because I read a similar story on the web. I didn't like the way that author was tackling it, so I decided to try my hand.

Hermione woke and stretched her limbs happily. She was always an early riser, but there was something comforting about summer mornings when she was able to wake without an alarm clock. The sunlight streamed in from her window, caressing her face with its warmth. She sighed, so happy.

Hermione had just finished her sixth year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was exceedingly bright and had a thirst for knowledge that was rare in a teenager. As a result, she had the top marks in her year, though Malfoy was close behind. She was the brain of the 'Golden Trio'- the other two members being her friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. She felt like more of the conscience of the group though. The boys were always getting themselves into trouble, very often serious trouble. Hermione preferred never to be in trouble. Detentions interfered with her study schedules.

She padded down the stairs wearing her pajamas- a pair of boxer shorts and a loose T-shirt. Her parents were already in the kitchen eating breakfast.

"Good morning, Mum, Dad." she said, walking over to the refrigerator.

"Morning, dear." they answered, her father distracted by the newspaper and her mother by her laptop computer. Hermione grabbed a yogurt and some fresh strawberries. She combined that with some granola to make a lovely breakfast. At her place at the kitchen table was a fresh copy of The Daily Prophet. She had started receiving the paper a few years ago in order to keep informed of issues in her other home- the Wizarding world.

The Wizarding world was a wonderous community of witches and wizards all over the world. It was fantastic and terrifying at the same time to remember that this entire world existed without non-Magical people, commonly referred to as Muggles, even being aware. Hermione belonged to the group known as Muggleborn witches and wizards, meaning she was a witch born to two Muggle parents. She stood with a foot in both worlds, living during the school year in the wizarding world but spending her summers as a Muggle.

It was becoming increasingly frustrating to spend her summer isolated from the wizarding world though. She knew how to Apparate- to disappear from one spot and reappear somewhere else, but she was forbidden from doing such things in front of Muggles. Even though she was technically no longer an underage witch, having turned 17 in the fall, she was still enrolled at school for another year. She couldn't perform any sort of magic around Muggles, as that was a crime in the wizarding world that could easily be traced. That meant no wand, no Potions, no Floo connection and no Apparating. Hermione was finding life without magic to be rather mundane.

She ate breakfast and headed upstairs to get dressed for the day. She braided her uncontrollable frizzy curly hair. It was the only way to keep some semblance of control in this humidity. She put on a tank top and shorts before heading back downstairs. At the top of the stairs, Hermione heard the commotion that was going on downstairs. She raced back up to grab her wand. Magic for self-defense was a horse of a different color.

Hermione snuck down the stairs, hoping to maintain the element of surprise. She was able to hear the invaders talking to her parents.

"Where is she? Where is my daughter?" one demanded.

"You cannot have her." her father responded.

"She's _my_ daughter you horrible thief. You had better not have hurt her in any way, you miserable excuse for a wizard."

"We don't live in your world anymore, Lucius. She may, but we weren't able to stop her. She will never go with you willingly. She thinks we're her family." her mother snarled.

"You _bitch_. You have stolen my daughter from me, and I will have her returned." Lucius Malfoy growled. He was pointing his wand wildly, alternating between her mother and father. Behind him, Snape was standing calmly. It was the Potions professor who noticed her. He nodded almost imperceptibly, meeting her gaze.

"Lucius, old friend, perhaps your efforts would be better spent explaining all of this to your daughter. She's on the stairs you know. Come down here, Miss Granger. I assure you that you will come to no harm. No one is injuring anyone today." the Potions Master said. Hermione crept warily into the room. Lucius Malfoy was looking at her and smiling, while her parents looked unhappy.

"Professor, what's going on?" she asked, moving closer to Snape.

"We have a rather elaborate history to recount to you Miss Granger. Perhaps we should all sit down," the dark man suggested. They all moved to sit at the table. "Lucius, I think you should put your wand away."

"Miss Granger, I have brought with me ample stock of Veritaserum. I ask that you allow each of the players in our story to take a dose to ensure an accurate tale." Snape said, pulling three clear vials from his robe. Hermione nodded. Snape passed one to Malfoy who drank it without thought. Snape then moved to hand one to Hermione's father.

"You're insane if you think I'm going to drink your silly little potion." the man snarled.

"Dad, please. It won't hurt you. All it does is make you tell the truth." Hermione pleaded.

"I won't take it, I tell y-." he strangled. Snape had poured the potion into his mouth while he was talking. He had then pinched her father's nose hard and clamped a hand over his mouth, forcing the man to swallow. Snape then held a bottle in front of Hermione's mother.

"Do I need to force this down your throat as well?" he asked.

"N-No. It's time the truth came out." Hermione's mother said. She took the bottle and drank it all. Soon all three of them sat before Hermione with matching glazed expressions.

"Alright, Miss Granger. Sit back and try to digest what you can of my little interview." Snape said. He put a hand on Lucius' head. "What is your name?"

"Lucius Malfoy."

"What is your name?" he asked of Hermione's father. The man appeared for a few seconds to be struggling the impulse of answering.

"Merton Grunch, though I've been mascarading for the last 16 years as Martin Granger, a Muggle dentist."

Hermione looked shocked.

"And finally, what is your name?" Severus asked her mother.

"Calliope Grunch. I've been living for the last 16 years as Clarissa Granger, a Muggle dentist." she responded.

"Lucius, tell me about your family." Severus requested, now that all of the players were known.

"I am married to Narcissa Malfoy, born of the house of Black. I have two children. My oldest, a daughter, is named Brenna Honoria Malfoy. My son's name is Draco Abraxas Malfoy. They are 11 months apart in age." the wizard responded. Hermione was intrigued. She didn't know that Draco had an older sister.

"Interesting. Tell us about your daughter." Snape said.

"My daughter, Brenna Honoria, was born on the 19th of September 1979. She was a gorgeous baby, always smiling. My wife and I loved her dearly. On December 7th of that year, my daughter was kidnapped by her nanny and the witch's husband. It has taken me nearly 17 years to find her." Lucius said.

"Tell us about your daughter, Mrs. Grunch."

"I have no children." Hermione's mother answered.

"Hmmm, let me phrase that differently. Tell us about Hermione Granger."

"Hermione Jean Granger is the name we decided to give the baby my husband and I kidnapped from my former employers. We cast extensive glamour charms on the baby before destroying our wands so that it would be more difficult for parents to find her."

"What was the baby's original name?" Snape asked.

"Brenna Honoria Malfoy." she responded.

"Why did you take the baby, Calliope?" he asked.

"She was so pretty, and I wanted a baby so badly. Merton and I aren't able to have children of our own. I held that baby at least once every day while her mother rested. One day, I just left the house with her. Merton knew I'd be sent to Azkaban for kidnapping if he took the baby back, so we ran away to hide in the Muggle world."

"I've heard enough." Hermione said. "I'd like to go home now- my real home. Is there an antidote for Veritaserum, professor?"

"Yes there is. Why don't you go and pack anything you wish to take with you while I administer the antidote." Snape said. Hermione obediently went back upstairs.

'Brenna Honoria Malfoy. I'm a Malfoy.' she thought to herself. This was a lot to wrap her mind around. What she did know was that her 'parents' had stolen her from her real family out of jealousy. She wasn't sure about leaving with the Malfoy's, as Harry and Ron were convinced that Draco was evil.

Hermione, no, Brenna looked at herself in the bedroom mirror. What was she even supposed to look like? It's hard to believe anyone had actually intended for her to have hair like this. She looked about her room. These were all Hermione's things. She had no desire to be the person her kidnappers had imposed upon her any longer. She took a small bag and put inside of it a couple of photographs and her diary, her school supplies and her completed homework. She held her wand in her hand. Crookshanks had passed earlier in the summer or she would have brought him along. She had no desire to bring Hermione's clothes, though she did shrink down most of her books. She could scratch out the name inside. She would not bring Hermione's monogrammed trunk. It was rather fortunate she belonged to a rather wealthy family that could replace anything she needed. Brenna fingered the edge of a Hogwarts robe absent-mindedly. Was Brenna Malfoy even a Gryffindor? She didn't think any Malfoy had ever been anything other than a Slytherin.

In the end she decided to leave the robes. They no longer fit so well anyway, and she would have been buying new ones in the fall. She looked inside the bag. She had pitifully little to take from this life into her next. Perhaps this was how Brenna operated- moving through the world with no apologies and no baggage. She closed the bag and went downstairs once again, to where her father and the professor were waiting.

Hermione stopped in front of Lucius. The tall wizard smiled down on her.

"I'm afraid I didn't pack much. There weren't many of Hermione's things that I wanted." she said quietly.

"That's fine, my girl. My beautiful daughter will have all kinds of nice things." Lucius said, pulling her towards him. He embraced Brenna. There was something about his scent that was familiar and relaxing.

"What do I call you?" she asked.

"You may call me whatever you are comfortable calling me. Draco calls me Father, but you may call me Lucius if that makes you more comfortable." he said.

"Please take me home, Father." she said, trying out the name. It seemed right somehow. She had called Merton and Calliope Dad and Mum, so it didn't even feel like the same word.

"Right away, my girl." her father replied. He invited Hermione to grasp his arm so that they could Apparate away. Before leaving, they bade farewell to the professor who promised he would visit in a few days time.


	2. Chapter 2 A Makeover of Epic Proportions

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym  
Chapter 2- A Makeover of Epic Proportions

**AN- Hereafter, Hermione Granger will be referred to as Brenna Malfoy. Consider her an OC if you must. Also, don't expect updates quite this often, but I thought you might need another taste to really get hooked on this story.**

Brenna and Lucius reappeared in front of Malfoy Manor, which was even larger than she had expected it to be. She gasped a little at the sight of it.

"Yes, our family home is rather impressive," Lucius said as he led her up the front walk. "Our family has lived here for ten generations. There is a great deal of history to being a Malfoy. We take pride in the impact that our family has had on the Wizarding world. You'll find that there is more expected of you as a Malfoy. We are expected not only to be leaders in the running of the world but also the social gathering of the world. It's rather like life as an American celebrity. People are always watching us, so we must be the best dressed, the most mannerly, and the best examples of what a witch or wizard can be."

"I don't know how to behave socially in the Wizarding world." Brenna said shyly.

"Don't worry. Your mother is something of an expert in those matters. She will teach you everything that you need to know." he assured. They had arrived at the front door. Lucius opened it and ushered her inside.

The entryway was built primarily of marble. There were black and white marble tiles on the floor with an imposing marble staircase dominating the room. There were corridors leading off in several different directions from the main room. Standing at the bottom of the stairs was a tall, blonde woman nervously chewing her lip. 'Just like I do when I'm nervous' Brenna noted. The woman turned to them. Her long blond hair was pulled back into a bun, and she wore a green dress that looked as though it was made of silk. She turned as Lucius shut the door and smiled at them. Her crystal blue eyes watered.

"Lucius, is this our little Brenna?" she asked.

"Yes, my love. Brenna, this is your mother, Narcissa Malfoy." he said, introducing them. Before she could think, Brenna found herself wrapped in the arms of her mother.

"It's so good to have you back again, my little girl. I've missed you so." she whispered, crying softly.

"Hello, Mother." Brenna said, unsure of what else to do. She patted the witch on the back in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. Eventually, Narcissa released her, choosing instead to stand at a small distance and look at her. They stood that way for a few minutes.

"Mother, Father I-. Granger! What are you doing here?" Draco remarked as he came partway down the marble staircase. Brenna noted that her brother wore a much more casual pair of stonewash jeans and a button up green shirt. His grey eyes held nothing but confusion.

"Why don't you and your mother chat for a bit. I'll talk to Draco." Lucius told her quietly. He made a directional gesture to Draco and started up the stairs. Brenna watched them for as long as she could before turning back to her mother. She had previously known Lucius Malfoy as an evil man, but now she wasn't sure she wanted him to leave her.

"Come with me." Mother said, gently grasping her hand and walking down one of the back corridors. She led Brenna into a beautiful parlor. The walls were a soft pink and the room was furnished with puffy, comfortable looking furniture of all types. Brenna sat on a white leather armchair while Narcissa perched eagerly on a nearby couch.

"This is our private parlor, Brenna- yours and mine. The ladies parlor is where we may entertain our personal company or just escape your father and brother for a bit. They are not allowed in here without invitation. They have their own parlor to share, and there is also a family parlor, which is larger of course. I'm sure you're quite overwhelmed, my darling. Is there anything I can do to help you?" she asked. She genuinely seemed to want to help.

"It's just so much to deal with." Brenna said, looking around the room.

"Is there anything that is bothering you more than the rest right now?" Mother asked.

"Well, Mrs Gaunch mentioned that they cast a series of Glamour charms on me. I don't even know what I'm supposed to look like." Brenna said sadly.

Narcissa rose and walked over to one of the bookshelves to pull out a large book.

"I haven't looked at this in a long time because it just made me so sad, but it might be able to help you." she said, knocking a thick layer of dust from the cover. Brenna's interest piqued. She loved books, and if this one could help her understand her situation, she would surely devour it. Narcissa sat again on the couch with the book on her lap. She gestured for Brenna to join her, which the teenage girl quickly did.

Brenna watched as her mother opened the large book. On the first page was her name, printed in an obviously magical fashion as the ink sparkled slightly. Narcissa turned the page again to reveal a photograph of two blond young adults and a small baby. The script underneath said "Brenna Honoria Malfoy born 19 September 1979 to Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black Malfoy." She saw now how the young witch and wizard in the photo looked very much like her parents. It moved surprisingly little for a magical photo as they both sat staring at the baby, looks of wonder on their faces.

They continued for several minutes looking at photo after photo of Brenna with various family members. She was a blonde haired baby with Narcissa's sparkling blue eyes. All too soon, the photographs ended.

"That was when she took you." Narcissa said sadly.

"I was a very beautiful baby." Brenna said. "I wonder if I'm still beautiful?"

"I'm certain you are. If you like, I can remove the Glamour charms. It might hurt a bit though, and I won't be able to put them back on just the same if you want them back." Narcissa warned.

"Let's do it. I need to know what I look like." Brenna replied fearlessly. Narcissa rose and gestured for her daughter to lie down across the couch. Brenna complied eagerly. Brenna had time to notice a few elaborate wand movements before she felt as though her body was exploding.

The pain was excruciating. It felt as though her body was being simultaneously stretched and sucked into a ball. She could hear herself screaming in agony. After a few minutes, she passed out.

Brenna woke to find that she and Mother were no longer alone. Her father and brother were now with them in the room.

"She asked me to remove them. I didn't know it would hurt that badly, or I would have given her a potion for it." Narcissa said tearfully. Lucius wrapped an arm around her.

"It's alright. She's fine, and she's more beautiful than I had expected." Lucius said.

"She's awake." Draco said. He turned and walked out of the room.

"Brenna? Brenna can you hear me?" Mother asked.

"Yes. Did it work?" she asked.

"See for yourself." Lucius said, closing the door and turning the backside of it into a full size mirror. Brenna turned to look at it and gasped. She stood carefully and walked toward it.

Brenna Malfoy was a tall, slender blonde. She had grown a solid six inches if comparison to her father's height was correct. She was as slender as her mother, though not shockingly skinny. She still had breasts and a small behind. She had platinum blonde hair that extended almost to her elbows. Her skin was ghostly pale, which accentuated the fullness of her red lips and the brightness of her blue eyes. She was gorgeous.

Her clothes were also vastly inappropriate. What was once a fairly modest tank top and shorts were now a belly shirt and short shorts.

"Oh Merlin, my clothes don't fit!" she shrieked.

"It's a good thing you didn't want to bring the old ones," Lucius laughed. "We'll have the tailor come tonight to measure you for new clothes. In the mean time, I'm sure your mother has something that you can wear." He removed his outer robes so Brenna could cover up. She was a fairly modest person and didn't much fancy running around scantily clad around people she barely knew.

"Come on, Love. I'm sure I've got a few things you can wear." Narcissa said, leading the way upstairs. She led Brenna up to the third floor of the house- where all of their bedrooms were. They went straight to the master bedroom.

Her parents' room was very large. There was a king size canopy bed in the center of the room. A closet the size of Hermione's bedroom was opposite and to the right of the bed, while the master bathroom was opposite the bed and to the left. Narcissa went straight to the closet. She shuffled through items of clothing for several minutes, piling items onto a chair. Brenna looked in wonder at all the items that were making their way into the pile. There were jeans, dress shirts, skirts, dresses- a wide variety of clothes, though you could hardly tell that anything had been removed from the closet racks.

"This should get you started, dear. Let me help you take these to your room and you can change," her mother said. They carefully removed every item from the chair and headed back out into the corridor. Brenna was having a difficult time carrying the clothes carefully while avoiding tripping on Father's robe. She had grown several inches in the last hour, and was still getting used to walking with longer legs. They stopped outside a room two doors down.

"Now, Brenna, I feel I must explain briefly. I've tried to keep your room in keeping with girl's rooms of your age group. If you don't like anything about it, we can change it to whatever you would like. It is your room." Narcissa said. Brenna realized that she was the same height as her mother now. Narcissa opened the door and led the way into Brenna's room.

Brenna's room was painted pale purple. She had a full sized bed in the middle of the room. There was a white armchair and footstool by the window. Her bedding was white with small purple flowers on it. Mother was hanging clothing in her own walk-in closet. She turned around to see that there was a vanity table beside the door. In the far corner of the room were a solid wood desk and several empty bookshelves. The door opposite her closet was closed.

Brenna was still standing in the room when Narcissa returned from hanging all the clothes.

"Well, you share the balcony with your brother. You also share the bathroom through that door. Don't worry about him coming in while you're in there. The bathroom is charmed so that his door will not open while you are there, just as yours will not open when he is in the bathroom.

"I don't think Draco likes me very much." she said.

"Nonsense. He's just having a hard time getting used to all this, just as you are. He'll come around." Mother responded.

"Maybe, but he didn't like Hermione Granger. Why would he like Brenna Malfoy?"

"Because unlike Hermione Granger, Brenna Malfoy is his older sister. Give him a few days to get used to all of this. I'm sure you'll become great friends before the end of summer." Mother said, sounding very sure of her words.

"I'll leave you to get settled. I'm going to go talk to your brother and hopefully do some gardening before lunch. Your father will be in his office by now. If you need anything, ask Draco for help or call for one of the house elves. Feel free to redecorate, explore, or do whatever feels best for you." Mother kissed her cheek and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Brenna decided to start by getting dressed. She chose a blue sundress with white daisies around the bottom. It hit her just above the knee, so it was a great summer length. She took Hermione's hair tie and used it to retie her longer hair after she secured it into a low ponytail.

The next thing to do, she supposed, was to redecorate. Brenna really liked the light purple walls, but the bedding was a little too girly for her. She wanted something with a little more edge. After some thought, Brenna transfigured the comforter to be white with large black polka dots on it. The blanket she made lime green. She transfigured the wooden bed frame into black steel rod with swirls at the head and foot. She adjusted the color on the sheers over her balcony door to be the same lime green as the blanket. She transfigured the legs on the desk from solid wood to curled black steel rod like the bedframe. The overall effect was still girly, but a little more edgy and very fashionable.

Finally, Brenna decided to unpack the books from Hermione's bag. She took them all out and resized them, feeling certain there would be plenty of room for them on the shelves. Every book, however, had the name Hermione Granger neatly printed inside. It took a while, but she managed to get the name Hermione Granger off the inside front of every book. It made her uncomfortable though, not to have her personal books labeled. She had brought no quills and no ink, so there was only one clear option of what to do next. She had to go see her brother.


	3. Chapter 3 Draco & Malfoy Manor

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 3- Draco & Malfoy Manor

**AN: Many thanks to all my loyal reviewers. Here's the name meaning in case you were wondering. I didn't just pick Brenna Honoria at random. Draco's name comes from the Latin for dragon, so I picked Latin based names for his sister as well. Brenna means raven's maid, while Honoria means woman of honor. Anyway, on with the show.**

Brenna stood somewhat nervously at Draco's door. She had Draco had not had a lot of positive interaction in the past. She'd even hit him once, in third year. There was rock music blaring inside. When she knocked, the music abruptly stopped. Within a few seconds Draco was standing in front of her.

"What?" he asked.

"Could I borrow a quill and some ink?" she asked.

"What? Do you need to write sad letters to your idiot friends now?" he taunted.

"No. If I were writing letters I'd have asked for some parchment as well, don't you think," she replied. Draco seemed to mull this over for a few seconds.

"What are you doing then?" he asked.

"I need to change the name written in all of my books," she said honestly.

"Okay. Well, I've got to find some first. I'll bring it over to your room in a few minutes," he said before practically slamming the door in her face. Brenna rolled her eyes. She headed back to her room.

Brenna busied herself organizing her books by topic for a few minutes before there was a knock at her door. She opened it to find Draco standing there with a bottle of black ink and a few quills.

"Thanks for letting me borrow these. I didn't bring much with me." she said, taking them from him. They stood somewhat awkwardly staring at each other for a moment. "Umm, do you want to come in?" she asked experimentally. Draco seemed to think on this for a second.

"Okay." he said. Brenna moved to allow him to enter the room. Draco sat in her armchair and watched as she carefully wrote Brenna H. Malfoy inside each of her books.

"So how come you're taking this so well?" he asked, out of the blue.

"What do you mean?" she returned.

"Well, I mean, this morning you woke up a Muggleborn witch with poofy hair. It's not quite noon yet and you've found out you're not only a Pureblood witch but a Malfoy that was kidnapped in infancy. You escaped your kidnappers, made radical changes to your appearance, and somehow found time to redecorate your room. It's nice, by the way." he said.

"Thanks. I think it's about pace. I haven't really had time to adjust to anything yet. That will take quite some time. I've got it a little easier because I was so angry with the Grunch's for having taken me and kept me away for so long. Plus, Mother and Father have been very nice to me. As for redecorating, this little corner of the house is my space to start trying to figure things out. I wanted it to be comfortable for me to do that, which meant changing it some so it felt like my room not a guest room." she replied.

"I guess that makes sense. Anything is better than being a Granger I suppose," he mumbled. Brenna decided to ignore that one, since they were both rather stressed.

"Can I ask you something, Draco?" she asked.

"Sure." he replied.

"Why don't you like me?" she asked, stopping to look at him. Draco sighed heavily.

"It's not that I don't like you. I just don't know you. I mean, I disliked Hermione mostly because she was Potter's friend and a Muggleborn. If circumstances were different, we might already have been friends. Also, I got kinda used to being the only kid here. Today I've found out that not only am I not the only kid, but you're even older than me. It's just a lot to take in." he said.

"I know the feeling." Brenna replied. She finished putting the last of the books on the shelf.

"Don't worry; it's not like I can hate my sister. Hey, it's time for lunch. I'll show you the way to the family dining room. Maybe after lunch I can take you on a tour of the rest of the manor." Draco said.

"That sounds good." Brenna responded. She really wasn't comfortable just exploring such a large home on her own. She stood and followed Draco out the door.

The family dining room was on the second floor, directly above the formal dining room. It wasn't an overly large room for what purpose it fulfilled. In the center of the room was a wooden table that would seat six comfortably. The room extended far enough past the table that a person could walk around comfortably while all the chairs were occupied. In the corners of the room were cases displaying china with the Malfoy family crest. Lucius was already seated at the head of the table.

"Hello children. Getting settled in, Brenna?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you Father." Brenna replied. Draco sat in the first seat, so Brenna moved to sit beside him, hoping that was okay.

"Your mother is on her way in from the gardens. Draco, did you tell your sister anything about this room when you brought her in?" Lucius asked.

"Not really, sir." he replied.

"Well, perhaps you could tell her about it now while we wait for your mother to arrive." Lucius instructed. Draco turned in his seat to look at her.

"This is the family dining room. We eat in here most of the time, unless there's a party or something going on. If there's a party that you and I aren't invited to, we will eat in here. When we have overnight company or close friends visit, they will eat here with us- like if Professor Snape comes to visit. The only rule here is that we don't eat until everyone is present. The house elves will not bring the food in until Father signals that we are ready." Draco explained.

Brenna bit her tongue when he mentioned house elves. She may hate what house elves have to do, but she knew that the Malfoy family had loads of house elves. She was partially glad they did. It would be constant cleaning to keep up with this house if it were just the four of them. Mother arrived, taking off her wide-brimmed sun hat as she entered the room. She sat opposite Draco. Lucius calmly raised his right hand. With a pop there were four house elves in the room, all wearing pillowcase tunics. They silently placed a few dishes in front of each person before disappearing again. Brenna looked down and found herself quite pleased with her lunch. Everyone had tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich and a small dish of fruit salad. Brenna placed her napkin carefully in her lap and began to eat.

Even though they were in the family dining room, the way in which the family ate was still rather formal. There was no slouching or slurping of soup. No one placed an elbow on the table. Conversation was slim while they were all busily eating. Brenna was intrigued to find that even this simple meal was rather fancy. The soup she was eating had definitely never been inside of a box or can. It was thick and rich. Her sandwich was beautifully toasted, and the cheese inside was unlike any cheese she had ever tasted before. The fruit had all been hand chopped quite recently as the apples hadn't even begun to brown. It was a delicious meal, and Brenna ate until she was quite full.

She hadn't eaten everything on her plate but was still stuffed. Brenna supposed it didn't take as much to stuff such a small body. Lucius and Draco had both eaten every bite of everything on their plates. Draco looked at her and smiled a bit; he also looked contentedly full.

"What are you getting into this afternoon, children?" Lucius asked.

"I was going to take Brenna on a tour of the house." Draco said. Brenna nodded.

"That sounds like an excellent plan. Brenna, the tailor will be here to fit you for clothes at sixteen hours. Be sure to keep an eye on the time, so you don't keep her waiting too long. You should enter the Ladies parlor between ten and twenty minutes after sixteen hours." Lucius instructed. "Draco, your mother will send for you after your sister is finished to come downstairs. You need some new clothing as well."

"Thank you, Father." Draco said.

"Yes, thank you, Father." Brenna echoed.

"Well, if you two are going to have a turn about the house, you had best be on your way. It's nearly fourteen hours already." Narcissa noted. "Your father will be working in his office until dinner time, but I will be around the house if you need anything."

"Let's be off then." Draco said, rising from his chair. Brenna followed suite, and the two of them were out of the room.

"Let's go downstairs and we'll work our way back up." Draco said as they came to the marble stairway. Brenna found it interesting that this stairwell went only between the first and second floors. The stairwell between the second and third was much less ostentatious.

"You've already seen Mother's parlor, but we'll start there so you will be sure where to find it later." Draco said. He guided her down on of the offshoot corridors. Brenna had not noticed before that there was a door before the Ladies parlor. "This parlor is for use by you and Mother. Father and I may not enter without permission. Our parlor is the next door down. You and Mother may not come into our parlor without permission. I'll show you what it looks like inside though since we know no one is in there.

Brenna was very glad she didn't have to go into this parlor often, as it was rather terrifying. The room looked rather like a hunting lodge. There were numerous wild magical creature heads mounted on one wall. The opposite wall displayed a dartboard. There was a bar area set up in one corner of the room. All the furniture was dark brown or dark green. Brenna felt herself leaving the room before strictly necessary. Draco laughed at her. "I know, it's a little scary to see that much masculinity in one small space. On poker night it can get downright gross in here. I expect you'll find the family parlor much more pleasant."

The family parlor was the first door in the corridor. It was rather a combination of the two manners of decorating. The furniture was all tan or green, while the walls were a soft white color. There were more books in this room and lots of photographs. It was clear from the seating arrangement that this room was for conversations. There wasn't a lot else to do in the family parlor.

"This whole corridor is rather the exception to the rule for the floor. For the most part, the first floor contains all the rooms and facilities for when we have large parties. It keeps everyone in one contained area. Most people who come to the Manor have only been on the first floor." Draco explained.

All the other corridors on the first floor were now blocked with large oak doors.

"These doors were not shut this morning." Brenna remarked, gesturing to the next corridor over.

"The house elves had just finished cleaning last night from our last party. Neither Mother nor Father had the time to inspect the rooms before you arrived. They have now been sealed off. We won't be able to see any of these rooms now, but I can still tell you what they are. That door, for instance, goes to the ballroom."

"Why are the rooms sealed?" she asked.

"Mother does it to save the house elves some work. She says they don't need to be cleaning the whole house every day, so we seal off rooms that we don't use regularly so that they stay clean until we need them again. This door leads to the formal dining room. This room you'll probably see in a week or two. We might not hold a ball until Christmas Eve, but Mother is rather fond of dinner parties." Draco continued. On the other side were guest bathroom facilities and powder rooms.

"Alright, so if downstairs is for everyone, the second floor is for close friends." Draco said as he led her up the stairs. "You've already seen the family dining room. We have another sitting room up here. It has a good view of the grounds though, so we'll go there first." They walked into another sitting area, only in this room the back wall was made of windows. The furniture was all very light in color to resist fading from the amount of sunlight streaming in. It was perhaps Brenna's favorite room thus far. She could see gardens and the greenhouses from the window. They stared for a few minutes before walking back into the corridor.

"That," Draco said, gesturing to a door at the end of the corridor, "is Father's office. We won't disturb him." Draco led her in the other direction to see a game room that was filled with board games and table games. The round poker table, he said, gets moved to the men's parlor almost every week for the poker game. Across the way from the game room was the library. Brenna could easily spend the entire day in the library. The room was filled floor to ceiling with books on everything. In the center of the room were armchairs and small tables for working. Draco had to practically drag her out of this room. He showed her the wing filled with guest rooms.

"This is another part of the house that stays locked up until we need it. We can walk down the hall, but all of these rooms are currently locked. This is where overnight guests stay though sometimes one will be opened for someone who is not staying the night to have a place to put their things. The third floor is reserved for family only- everyone else stays here." Draco said. At that moment they could hear the grandfather clock in the library begin to strike and Brenna knew it was striking sixteen.

"Well, that concludes the inside tour of the house. I'm going back up to my room. Remember, you've got at least ten minutes before you need to be in the parlor. I recommend waiting closer to fifteen. It frequently takes ten minutes or more for her to get everything set up." Draco said, climbing the stairs to the third floor. Brenna decided to go back to the sitting room to wait. She knew better than to try to go to the library. She sat and waited until she felt as though ten or twelve minutes had passed, then she began to make her way to the parlor.

**AN: There you have it. The first interactions between Draco and his sister. Don't worry- it won't always be such smooth sailing. Draco was nice because he was able to parade his knowledge. He is also minding his manners.**

**Hit that review button; you know you want to.**


	4. Chapter 4 Shopping & A Fight

Surprisingly Pure

Chapter 4- Shopping and a Fight

Brenna arrived in the parlor at 16 minutes after sixteen hours. The room looked radically different than it had earlier. Mother was sitting on the couch flipping through dozens of books and placing markers every few pages. An elderly witch was had set up a small platform in the center of the room. There was an array of measuring tapes off to one side.

"Ah, Brenna this is Mrs. Sturgeon. Mrs. Sturgeon, my daughter, Brenna Malfoy." Narcissa said.

"Pleased to meet you Mrs. Sturgeon." Brenna said, still standing just inside the door.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Malfoy. If you would please step up on the platform I'll begin taking your measurements." Brenna stepped onto the platform and mentally prepared herself for the onslaught of tape measures she was certain to encounter. It surprised her more then to find that only two tape measures rose from the table at a time. They measured every inch of her body from the length around her head to the length of her feet. The measurements were promptly recorded on a diagram. Brenna gathered that all of her clothes would be custom fit.

"While your mother is choosing robes, perhaps you would like to choose your casual wear. Just imprint your first finger over anything you like." the witch said.

"Mark everything you like, dear. You need to have a lot of options, and you're not likely to grow anymore." Narcissa said with a smile. Brenna noted the way she was marking nearly every page in the robe booklet and gathered that price was not an issue. She flipped through the catalog marking at least a dozen pairs of jeans, lots of casual dresses, and a wide variety of shirts. Nothing had a price listed with it. When she finished, Mother called her over to the couch to the smaller album of dress robes and gowns.

"You'll need at least five sets outfits for parties, love. We'll get more as needed after that." Narcissa said, flipping once slowly through the pages. Brenna marked things that she liked best the second time through the book. Mother seemed to approve of her choices. "The best thing about it is that Mrs. Sturgeon will not make the dress robes you choose for anyone else, so you will never have to attend a party where another witch is wearing the same gown as you."

Shopping took two hours for everything that she needed. They had to choose casual clothes, dress clothes, shoes, pajamas, undergarments, hats, and cloaks. Brenna tried not to even think about the price of all this.

"Don't worry, Brenn. You will not often be allowed to shop like this. If you'd like you can watch Draco's turn to see what it will be like in the future." Narcissa said.

"No thank you, Mother. I think I need to go rest for a little while before dinner," she said politely. Her head was spinning. When they were nearly finished, Mother called for a house elf to send for Draco. Brenna walked calmly to the parlor door.

"Thank you Mrs. Sturgeon. Thank you, Mother."

"You're very welcome dear." Narcissa said.

"Your clothing should be ready by tomorrow evening." Mrs. Sturgeon replied. Brenna excused herself from the room and began the walk to her third floor bedroom. She met Draco halfway across the second floor.

"You look exhausted," he said, simply.

"Yes, I'm going to take a nap, I think. Have fun shopping," she said, walking past him. She walked straight up to her room, kicked off her shoes and relaxed into her bed.

A couple of hours later, Draco woke her up.

"Hey, it's time to get ready for dinner." he said. Brenna started to rise from the bed before he left the room. "Oh, you need to dress up for dinner," he said before stepping out of the room. Brenna groaned and walked into the bathroom. She splashed water on her face in an effort to wake up. She had some work to do before she was presentable for dinner. Hopefully she would have time.

She sat down at her vanity table hoping it was already fully loaded. One peek inside a drawer told her it was. There was every type of makeup she could need as well as a hairbrush, hair ornaments, and some perfume. She applied light but flattering makeup and brushed her hair thoroughly before braiding it. She picked a simple black dress from the wardrobe and low black heels. It was, after all, just a family dinner. There was a knock on the door and Narcissa slipped into the room.

"I just wanted to make sure you were well," she said.

"I'm fine. Is this appropriate for dinner?" Brenna asked.

"You look lovely, dear. You need to wear a robe to dinner though. We always dress for dinner here, even when no one is joining us." Narcissa said. She pulled a plain, black robe out for Brenna to wear. She hadn't worn grown women's robes before, just student robes. She loved the way in fit close all the way down to her waist before billowing out loosely.

"I hope you like the cut as I ordered at least two dozen for you this afternoon," Mother said.

"I do like it a lot. I had no idea that witch's robes could be so flattering."

"Yes, they do look rather nice on you, but the same does not work for everyone. You will notice this when we next have a party. There are many heavier witches who try to wear the same robes. It does not always carry such appeal." Narcissa said, wrinkling her nose. Brenna laughed. "Well, now that you're ready let's go down to dinner."

Dinner in the manor wasn't like lunch at all. They sat in the same places, but everyone was well dressed in traditional wizard robes. They were eating alone that night, but Draco said it wasn't at all unusual for Father to invite whoever he was doing business with at the end of the day to stay for dinner. The food was also much more elaborate. They had a roast chicken, fresh summer vegetables, potatoes, and rolls. They spent a lot of time over the meal chatting, so they didn't finish eating until almost three hours after they began. Draco said that wasn't unusual.

Brenna didn't fall asleep until late that night, so she spent some time after everyone else had gone to bed prowling the house. She had no desire to go into the men's lounge again or her father's office, so there wasn't really anywhere else she had to stay away from. Going into one of the larger halls was out of the question as the doors were firmly sealed.

The thing that struck her most about having become a Malfoy was that it didn't seem odd at all. She had only been here for a day, but she was already beginning to feel as though she belonged. She wasn't sure she liked being the center of everyone's attention though, but that would surely end in a few days. Mother was already teaching her how to be a lady, though she was learning mostly by example. They weren't nearly as terrible as others thought, the Malfoys. They were just different, not terrible at all really.

The next day Brenna woke up early as usual. She decided to hop in the bath before Draco was even awake. She was certain it would take a while to wash her long hair. It did. It was an hour later when Brenna stepped back into her room. She supposed Draco would learn to be very glad that she had a full vanity in her own room so that he wasn't barred from the loo for hours while she bathed, fixed her extremely long hair, and applied makeup. She had just finished brushing all the hair out when there was a knock at the door. Mother entered, leading a house elf.

"Mother, is something wrong?" she asked.

"No dear. I just knew that we needed to cut your hair a bit, and I thought we could do it before you really got started today. I can see I'm already too late for that."

"It is really too long. Why is it so long?" Brenna asked, fingering a piece near the front.

"Well, your real hair has never been cut before." Mother answered. "How long do you want it?"

"Maybe about here." Brenna said, touching just an inch or so below her shoulders. She would still have long hair, but a solid foot of hair would be cut off the bottom. "Yes, that would be a good length."

"This is Tippy. She's very good at cutting hair." Mother said, pushing forward the little elf bearing a large pair of scissors. Within a few seconds, Brenna's hair was exactly the length she described. Her head felt the relief of losing that last foot of hair. Her platinum blond hair now looked shinier and healthier.

"Well, we'll leave you to finish getting ready." Mother said, leaving the room. The little house elf disappeared with a poof. Brenna dressed casually, wearing a loose pair of jeans and a pink T-shirt. She stopped at Draco's door on the way downstairs to breakfast. There was no answer when she knocked, so she continued her trip to the dining room.

Father was seated in the dining room already, feasting on a stack of pancakes.

"Good morning, Father." she said, taking her seat.

"Good morning, Brenna. Just order whatever you want for breakfast," he said in between bites. Brenna turned and was shocked to find a small house elf standing beside her.

"What might Smocky get Miss for breakfast?" the elf asked.

"I'll have a bowl of cereal, some fruit and a cup of tea, please." she ordered.

"Smocky is getting that for Miss right away." the elf said before popping off. In probably less than a minute the elf was back balancing a tray. On the tray was everything Brenna has ordered. The elf placed the tray in front of her. "Will Miss be needing anything else?"

"No, Smocky. This is fine," she said, smiling kindly at the elf. Smocky pulled gently on her ears and disappeared.

"Where are Mother and Draco this morning?" Brenna asked.

"Your mother is already out tending to her gardens. Draco isn't much of a morning person, so we usually don't see him until closer to 10. We're having company this afternoon. Severus is coming. He will want to talk to you at some point before dinner, though I don't know when. Also, tonight happens to be the weekly poker game. You are welcome to be anywhere in the house you would like, though I recommend you stay away from the first floor after dinner tonight. Did you have any ideas of what you would do today?"

"Well, I thought I might tour the gardens this morning, perhaps help Mother a bit if she'll allow me. My wardrobe is supposed to be delivered this afternoon." Brenna said.

"Well I'm certain your mother will be happy to put you to work in the garden." Lucius said. "I've got to get to work. Let me know if you need anything." He left her alone in the dining room to finish her breakfast. Brenna finished quickly and headed out to the gardens. There was a beautiful set of stone steps coming down from her favorite sitting room that went all the way to the main garden path. She sauntered down the stairs, looking for a sign of Mother. She found her weeding in a flowerbed along the main path.

"Good morning, Mother." she said cheerily. Narcissa looked up from her work, then sat back.

"Hello, Brenna."

"May I help you garden this morning?" she asked politely.

"Of course you may help. Go over to the garden shed and get a hat, some gloves, and a kneeling pillow like this one. Come back here, and you can help me weed this flowerbed." Narcissa instructed.

Brenna quickly collected the necessary supplies from the garden shed. She walked back to where her mother was working. Narcissa gestured to a spot a few feet away where she had no yet begun to weed.

"Just pull out all the weeds from around the flowers, dear. Put them in a pile off to the side and we'll sweep them up later." Narcissa said. Brenna settled in at the indicated spot and began working. After finishing that flowerbed they moved on to the vegetable garden. Before long they it was time for lunch; they spent the entire morning in the vegetable garden. Brenna and Narcissa laughed as they made their way back into the house and up t the family dining room.

"That was so wonderful, Mother! No wonder you spend most of the day in the garden." she exclaimed as the ascended the stone steps.

"Oh Brenna. You've got potting soil on your face. We don't have time for you to wash though, it'll just have to stay until after lunch." Narcissa said. They hurried into the dining room.

"Ah, there you are. We've been waiting." Father said as they entered the room. "Severus arrived early, so I invited him to join us for lunch as well."

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid Brenna and I were having such a good time in the garden we lost track of time," Narcissa replied. "It's good to see you again, Severus."

"Likewise, Narcissa." the Potions Master replied. Brenna smiled; she was just so happy from her morning in the garden with Mother.

"I think I may have a new gardening buddy, Lucius. Brenna is an excellent gardener." Narcissa glowed. The food appeared in front of them- sandwiches with crisps. Brenna was so hungry from working that she reached eagerly for her sandwich.

"Hey! Watch it! You almost shook some of your dirt off onto my sandwich!" Draco fussed, guarding his plate. Brenna looked at him warily. Lucius and Narcissa glared at their son.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I wasn't able to get cleaned up before lunch," she said quietly, scooting as far away from the boy as her chair would allow before taking a bite of her sandwich.

They ate in relative peace for a few more minutes. Draco had barely taken one bite of his lunch, while Brenna wasn't eating much either.

"Draco, why aren't you eating?" Lucius asked.

"I can't help it. The smell in here is just nauseating. Don't you notice it? Probably not sine you're not sitting so close to Brenna," the boy whined. "She reeks of sweat and potting soil. It's disgusting."

"Excuse me." Brenna squeaked before fleeing the room. Lucius and Narcissa both glared at their son.

"Go apologize to your sister." Lucius ordered.

"What for? She was way dirtier than Mother ever is- smelled much worse too. She needs to learn to be clean for lunch." Draco protested.

"That is not the way we talk to people in this house. Go apologize to your sister." Narcissa said. Draco sighed and left the room.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that, Severus. We're still getting used to this whole family thing. Draco especially is having trouble." Lucius explained. Severus waved it off; he spent most of the year surrounded by teenagers.


	5. Chapter 5 Conversations

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 5 Conversations

Brenna managed to make her way out of the room reasonably composed, but once the door was shut behind her, she took off for her room at a sprint. She'd had a really wonderful morning, but it only took a couple of cruel remarks from Draco to ruin it all. She was starting to think she knew where she stood in this family. He'd been so nice to her the previous afternoon, which made this hurt even worse.

Once inside her room, she allowed the tears to fall. She sank to the floor momentarily. After a moment she made her way into the bathroom to shower. She was letting her tears sun down the drain with the shower water when she heard someone knock quietly on the door. She ignored it; she really didn't want to talk to anyone right now.

**Back in the dining room**

"Did you see how happy she was? I thought we were really getting somewhere." Narcissa said.

"Our idiot son just had to open his big mouth and wreck it all." Lucius grumbled.

"He was so nice to her yesterday afternoon. I thought maybe they were bonding." Narcissa said, a little teary eyed. She conjured a tissue and dabbed at her eyes.

"That poor girl has been through a roller coaster the last couple of days, and Draco hasn't been making it any easier." Lucius explained. He looked at Severus, "He was horrible when she first arrived, wouldn't even look at her. Then they came down to lunch together happy as clams. He took her on a tour of the house all afternoon, and now this happens."

"I wouldn't make too much of it. This is the way teenagers communicate. You're doing the best you can. If it's any consolation, she does look quite comfortable here."

"Oh, Severus. I keep forgetting that you knew her before. You really think she's okay?" Narcissa asked.

"Narcissa, it's hard for me to remember that I already know her, as different as she looks without the charms. But yes, she's okay." he said.

Draco came sulking back into the room a few minutes later, clearly sulking.

"Well, did you apologize?" Narcissa asked as he sat back down.

"I tried, but I don't think she heard me," he responded.

"How did she not hear you?" Lucius asked.

"She was in the shower by the time I got up there. I could hear her crying, Father. She was crying because of what I said." he said glumly.

"Give her a little while to calm down, then you can try again." Narcissa said. They finished lunch in near silence. Before the food disappeared, Severus wrapped the rest of Brenna's sandwich in her napkin and tucked it into his cloak pocket.

"Why don't you wait in the sitting room, Severus? I think Brenna likes it in there. I'll send her down after Draco and I speak with her." Narcissa said. She and Draco rose to leave.

"I never thought having two teenagers would so drastically increase the drama level of this house." Lucius said.

"They will settle down after a while. It's better they get it all worked out now. Teenagers have a 'honeymoon' period when you first make a change to their lives. They'll be little angels for a while. For you, that was yesterday afternoon, a rather short honeymoon. Now they'll work out all their issues for a while. Just remember to hold your ground, and they'll settle down." Severus said. It was like this at the beginning of every school year, though the honeymoon usually lasted closer to a month.

Lucius headed back to his office to work, while Severus walked into the sitting room to wait for Brenna Malfoy. He could still see a little bit of Hermione's personality in there, but the Brenna he saw at lunch was much more relaxed than he'd ever seen Hermione Granger. He was also very surprised that she'd had to be pried from the garden, not the library.

**Back upstairs**

Brenna had just finished redressing after her much needed shower. She'd calmed down considerably and was now more embarrassed than mad. Normally she could take a little taunting without batting an eyelash, especially from Draco. She was angry that she'd let him run her out of a room, especially in front of her parents and Professor Snape. She'd chosen another summer dress to wear this afternoon. This one was a bohemian-style sundress she really liked. It only had spaghetti straps, but it flowed lightly all the way to her ankles. There were alternating very wide horizontal stripes of white and purple all the way down (a grand total of six stripes). She brushed her hair again but left it down so it covered her shoulders.

There was a knock at the door. Brenna answered it to find Mother and Draco standing there.

"I'm sorry I said those things Brenna. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or anything." Draco said, looking thoroughly cowed.

"I accept your apology," she said. Draco smiled at her and zipped away into his own room.

"That was very kind of you, Brenna, "Mother said, stepping further into the room. "Are you okay? You had your father and I quite worried."

"I'm okay. I'm madder at myself that he was able to affect me like that. He used to tease me all the time about my hair, my teeth, my blood status, and other things. It never bothered me as much as it did today," she explained.

"Severus said you would be fine. He knows a lot about teenagers, you know." Narcissa said, hugging her tightly.

"Did he say when he wanted to talk to me?" Brenna asked.

"He's waiting for you now in the second floor sitting room." Mother answered.

"Then I had better go. It wouldn't do to keep the professor waiting," she said. She scooted past her mother and back downstairs, leaving Narcissa alone to examine her room.

*****

When she entered the sitting room, Professor Snape was facing away from the door, looking out the windows. She shut the door behind her softly.

"This is my favorite room in the house," she said quietly. He whipped around to look at her.

"I would have expected the library to be your favorite room." he responded.

"It probably would be, but there's been so much going on in my head the last couple of days that I haven't even wanted to go read anything." she said, honestly. "It has just been crazy since I got here."

"Yes, I can see that." he said.

"I'm sorry you had to see that at lunch. It hasn't been like that the whole time I've been here," she said.

"Don't feel as though you need to apologize to me, Miss Malfoy. I've been a regular guest at family meals for quite some time. I am well aware of the fact that your brother can be a spoiled brat at times. I would feel better though, if you would finish your sandwich," he said, pulling the food out of his robe pocket. Brenna eagerly took it and sat down on the couch to eat. She shook off her sandals and curled her legs under her. She took a bite from the sandwich as Severus sat down.

"So I hear you're something of a teen psychologist now. Is that why you're talking to me now, Professor?" Brenna inquired.

"No, Miss Malfoy, I am officially here at the request of the Headmaster. He wants to know that you are settling in and mentally sound. I am the natural person to make that judgment as I can enter the household without raising the ire of the family. The full context of our meetings will be kept in strict confidence, however. I am only required to provide assurances to the Headmaster regarding your well being."

"You really should call me Brenna. You address everyone else in the family by their first names."

"I can address you by whatever means you wish. If you would like me to call you Brenna, then I will oblige," the Professor said.

"I wish it. Is this room safe for talk?" she asked quietly.

"It is. I checked it thoroughly for bugs and other spying devices. I don't believe Lucius keeps his home bugged." Snape said.

"That makes me feel better. What has the Order told Ron and Harry about me?" she asked. She hadn't written to either of the boys, nor had she received any letters.

"I thought we should tell them the truth, but the Headmaster overruled me. He and I are the only ones who know about you. Everyone else has been old of your regrettable and untimely death. Your little friends are deeply in mourning." Snape said.

"Why would he do that?" she asked, clearly rather hurt.

"You will find, Brenna, that Albus Dumbledore is not the coddling grandfather he seems. He is as single-minded as the Dark Lord. There is a reason he is the only one the Dark Lord fears. Your father's position within the ranks requires he keep up this strictly Pureblood lifestyle. The whole family adapts to it for public outings. I'm sure you've noticed that they are not always how you imagined life within the Malfoy family," he said. Brenna nodded. "Draco inadvertently passes back information that he learns from the children of Death Eaters. If your story becomes publicly known, the whole family will be thrown into public scrutiny. That would jeopardize everything they have accomplished up to this point and everything they could accomplish before this war ends."

"So I can't be friends with Ron and Harry because I'm a Malfoy?" she clarified.

"Yes, as a Malfoy people will expect you to follow the standards that the family follows publically. You must view the Weasley family as a pack of blood traitors and Harry Potter as a joke. It really isn't as difficult as it sounds. You'll surround yourself with the children of other Purebloods and mixed blood students. I suggest when you return to Hogwarts you insist on being Sorted. If you can convince the hat to put you in Slytherin, things will be much easier for you."

"I've never told anyone this before, but the sorting hat nearly put me in Slytherin the first time. It said it only put me in Gryffindor because of my having been raised in the Muggle world. It wouldn't take much convincing to get it to sort me into Slytherin. Will it be a problem to be re-Sorted?"

"It won't be a problem at all, especially with the death of Hermione Granger. You will enroll at Hogwarts under your real name. Since Brenna Malfoy has never before attended Hogwarts, you will need to be Sorted."

They talked for another hour or so. Brenna thought it was nice to have someone outside of the family that she could talk to.

"Well, I believe it is time for me to turn my attention to the rest of my agenda. I shall see you at dinner which I expect to be a much less dramatic affair." the Professor said.

"Professor," Brenna called to him before he opened the door, " I really appreciate your speaking with me. I would like to meet again, if that is agreeable to you?"

Snape nodded. "I visit this house once or twice a week. I can certainly make time to speak to you if that is what you want." He exited the room and headed to Lucius' office. Brenna, now feeling much better, walked off in the opposite direction, toward the library.

AN: I'm going to spend the next couple of chapters setting up Brenna as her own character, but still someone quite like Hermione Granger. Please review. If you want to ask me something, please log in so I can PM you a response.


	6. Chapter 6 Dinner & Poker Night

Surprisingly Pure

Chapter 6- Dinner & Poker Night

Brenna had been really interested in everything Mother was telling her about the plants they were tending. She had never really enjoyed Herbology class much, so this came as a surprise for her. She had really gone outside more to spend time with her mother than anything else. There were still a couple of hours left before she needed to clean up for dinner, so Brenna decided to learn more about plants.

There was a thick field guide to magical plants in the library that looked rather interesting. Brenna took it outside with her. She began to look up each plant in the book and read about them individually. It was really rather fascinating. Mother had everything neatly labeled, so she never had to hunt through the book's photos. The process of walking and reading took up the rest of Brenna's afternoon.

***In Lucius' office***

"Did you have a nice chat with my daughter?" the blond wizard asked.

"Yes, I told her about Hermione Granger's deceased stsus." Severus replied, leaning against the window frame.

"Are you sure that was wise?" Lucius asked, skeptical.

"Yes, she is well able to handle that sort of information. It was also necessary for her to have time to process what happened to Hermione before she returns to Hogwarts."

"So do you think your little chat helped her?" Lucius said.

"Yes, in fact I know it has. This is more the type of behavior I would expect from your daughter." Severus said, gesturing out the window. They could see the girl walking slowly through the garden holding a book.

"What is she doing?" Lucius asked, wrinkling his nose a little. It didn't look dangerous, but it certainly looked a little odd. One does not normally read while moving, especially not outside.

"My guess is that her work in the garden with Narcissa this morning either interested her in plants, reminded her of how much she doesn't know about plants, or some combination of the two. What she is doing know if looking up each of the garden plants in that book and reading all about them."

"I see." Lucius said.

"Your daughter is nothing if not hungry for knowledge. She will constantly be learning about something. If she weren't so self-motivated, it would be difficult to keep up with her. She will, however, find her own topics to study. It makes her difficult to challenge as a student though, to address her needs while still meeting basic requirements with the less capable students." Severus said.

"I'm glad that my daughter is brilliant, though I'm also glad that I don't have to do much to target her motivation. Perhaps she will be the one I train to lead the Wizarding world in the future." Lucius said, smiling at the thought. Severus personally didn't think Brenna would want to be Minister of Magic, but that was just his opinion. His opinion regarding her future meant even less than Lucius', but they would neither one be able to make up the girl's mind for her.

*****

Before long it was time to get dressed for dinner. Brenna walked back into the house and up to her bedroom. She was surprised to find that Mother was still there, supervising elves in dismantling boxes.

"Hi, Brenna."

"Hello, Mother. What are you working on in here?" she asked, as nicely as possible.

"Well, I was admiring what you've done with the room. It's very nice, by the way. Anyway, while I was in here your clothing arrived, so the elves and I have been busy putting everything away. We've only just finished. Come with me, and I'll show you how we arranged everything." Mother said, gesturing for Brenna to follow her to the closet. It turns out that Narcissa Malfoy was a genius when it came to organizing. The dress robes and gowns were in a back corner of the closet, since Brenna wouldn't need them regularly. The casual clothing was all toward the front of the closet for easy access. The middle section was taken up with all sorts of robes organized by weight, then by color. Drawers along one side held all of her undergarments and pajamas out of sight. Shoes were placed on low racks all along the floor of the closet, while bags and hats hung on the back of the closet doors. It was all so easy to find, but it had clearly taken Narcissa and the elves a great deal of time and effort to organize.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Mother!" Brenna raved, hugging her mother tightly. She would never have taken the time to organize everything like this, but it would make dressing and replacing laundry so much easier.

"You're very welcome, dearest daughter. Now, I'll leave so that we can both get ready for dinner. Do me a favor though and wear one of your new outfits," she said, walking out of the closet. Brenna squealed loudly with girlish excitement. Narcissa laughed as she exited the room.

Narcissa closed the door to see Draco hanging out his door and Lucius and Severus pounding up the stairs.

"What's wrong? We heard a scream." Lucius asked, his wand drawn.

"Oh relax. That was a good squeal." Narcissa said, laughing at them all. Draco sighed and returned to his room.

"There's a good squeal?" Lucius asked.

"I'd explain it to you, but you wouldn't understand. It's a girl thing." Narcissa said. She proceeded to her own room to prepare for dinner.

Even Snape was given a room in which to prepare for dinner at the Malfoy house. His preferred guest room was unlocked with a set of simple but well made dress robes inside. He prepared for dinner quickly and proceeded to his seat in the dining room. Draco was the next one to arrive, followed by Lucius. This was fairly standard. The ladies of the house were always the last to arrive for dinner. Narcissa arrived first, sweeping in wearing a black silk robe over a green dress. Brenna was right behind her, however, sporting a white dress under a dark blue robe that was nearly sheer and a huge grin.

"Brenna, I don't recognize these clothes. Does this mean that your wardrobe has arrived?" Lucius asked.

"Yes, Father. I have lots of beautiful clothes now." she replied, still grinning.

"An we know that a well organized closet full of beautiful new clothes is worthy of a happy squeal." Narcissa said, using her lecturing voice. Brenna looked at her, confused. "They all heard you squeal right before I left your room. If I hadn't been out in the corridor, there would have been three wizards breaking down your door to come to your rescue." Narcissa explained. Brenna laughed.

"If anyone still wants to see my closet, I'll happily give you a tour," she suggested. All three of them looked rather put out. "I'll take that as a no."

Dinner was fortunately a much more amicable affair than lunch had been. They feasted on pork chops with a blueberry glaze, seasoned vegetables, rolls, and fresh baked peach cobbler. After dinner Lucius, Severus, and Draco went downstairs to prepare for the poker game. Narcissa decided to take a long relaxing bath. She cautioned Brenna from visiting the first floor that night before taking her leave. Brenna returned to her room.

She figured out how to work the Wizard radio by her desk, tuned it to something peppy and did what every girl with a closet full of new clothes does- play dress up! She spent a couple of hours trying on various articles of clothing and dancing around her room. Finally, she turned in her dance to find Draco standing in the doorway. She froze.

"I knocked, but you didn't answer. I heard the music blaring, so I thought I'd just come in. Anyway, I'm all cashed out of the game. Why don't you change into something… less weird and come hang out in my room for a while." Draco said. He left, shutting the door behind him. Brenna looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a purple bikini, a winter cloak, black stiletto heels and a pink tennis visor. Draco was right; she did look weird. Brenna laughingly put away all those clothes and changed into pajamas for the night- a pair of light blue boxers covered with tiny colorful canoes and a black T-shirt that proudly displayed the slogan 'Sleep was so last night.' Once comfortable, she walked over to Draco's room and knocked.

Her younger brother seemed to survey her clothing, but she must have looked acceptable enough to gain entry into the room. Draco had changed as well. He was now wearing a pair of grey sweatpants and a green T-shirt with the slogan 'Slytherin's rule!' He sat down at his desk while Brenna stretched comfortably across the bed, lying with her head at the foot of the bed, closer to Draco.

"Hey thank you for apologizing about this afternoon. You didn't have to do that, but it was really nice. I don't know why I let it affect me so much. It never used to bother me when you picked on Hermione." Brenna said.

"Yeah- I really didn't mean to be that much of a git. I had intended to make a joke, but it all kept coming out wrong. I really wasn't intending to upset you." he responded.

"What are you working on anyway?" she asked.

"The Charms essay. I've nearly got it finished. I asked Professor Snape if he would come up and look at it for me before he left for the night. He'll be up after he gets tired of poker. "Have you done any of your summer work?"

"Are you kidding, Hermione had it all done within the first two weeks! She was such an overachiever. I hear she's dead now though." Brenna said with a chuckle. To her shock, Draco also laughed.

There was a firm knock on the door.

"That will be the Professor." Draco said. He opened the door to let the wizard in. "Thank you for agreeing to look at this for me. I want to make sure it's good before I scratch it off the list."

"It's not a problem, Draco. Brenna." he greeted, accepting the essay Draco handed him. Brenna nodded in response. She suddenly felt as though her boxers were rather short. Snape skimmed through the essay before handing it back to Draco. "This is fine work, Draco. Brenna, have you started your summer work yet?" he asked.

"Well, Hermione Granger had hers finished already, but I feel like Brenna Malfoy is probably not going to do any of it." she said.

"And why would you choose not to be prepared on the first day? If you've already done the work just change the name on the parchment." he said.

"Well, it would be rather odd if the new girl had known exactly what all the homework was."

"Not if that 'new girl' had a brother in the same year taking the same courses. You need to bring that summer work. I, at least, will not admit you to class without it." he said with a warning tone. "Goodnight, Draco, Brenna." he said before marching out of the room.

Draco and Brenna dissolved into quiet, spastic laughter a few seconds after the door closed.


	7. Chapter 7 Diagon Alley

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 7- Diagon Alley

A few hours later Brenna went back to her room to go to sleep. She was surprised about Draco. He was really quite nice most of the time. His room was painted black and covered in posters from various bands. He had a magical rock guitar on a stand in one corner. His bed was covered in Slytherin green. His desk looked obviously used.

Brenna looked at her own desk with its neat piles of parchment. She hadn't been acting much like herself lately. Hermione Granger's desk was a constant mess of books, parchment, ink, and quills. Brenna had rather been enjoying life not buried in books though. She changed the name of all of her essays before going to sleep.

A month later things were running much more smoothly at the Malfoy house. Everyone had an established routine. Lucius disappeared into his office for most of the day. Narcissa and Brenna spent the mornings in the garden. The afternoon was reserved for Brenna's etiquette lessons from Narcissa, which Draco occasionally joined, or lessons in the family background from Lucius. Brenna thought of the latter as her indoctrination sessions. Once a week she would get a reprieve from both of these in order for her to have her conversation with Severus. After dinner the family lounged in the family parlor for a while before separating into their individual pursuits. Usually Brenna and Draco spent their last waking moments of the day together, resting in one of their bedrooms.

The summer was rapidly coming to a close. Brenna was starting to walk, talk, and think more like a Malfoy. It still didn't feel quite natural, more like acting, but Draco assured her that a good deal of it was still acting for him and he had been raised in this family.

On one visit near the beginning of August, Professor Snape brought both of their Hogwarts letters. Brenna gave the supply list a passing glance before tucking the letter into the pocket of her robe.

"I have something of a surprise for you." Snape said during his afternoon chat with Brenna that day. Brenna looked at him oddly. He had never brought anything with him before usually they just exchanged information. "The Headmaster gave me permission to borrow this. I thought your mother might want to know what kind of robes you need for school," he said, pulling the battered Sorting hat from a box.

Brenna's eyes lit up. She was hoping she wouldn't have to be sorted in front of the whole school like a first year, but she didn't know she could be sorted at home. The Professor placed the hat on her head.

_Interesting. I believe I have Sorted you before, but not in this body. I see that you have been through a large transformation physically and mentally. I must change my earlier decision, for now it is obvious that you are best suited for ---_ Slytherin!

Brenna grinned. She had hoped to belong to the house of her family. This way she would not be separated from Draco once school started, and Professor Snape would be her Head of House. She also would have an easier time avoiding Harry and Ron. As a Malfoy and a Slytherin she would be on their black list anyway.

"I'm glad you're pleased with this change. It is the best possible outcome." he said.

"I know. I get to be nearer Draco, and it will be easier to avoid Harry and Ron." she said. She left out the part about him being her Head of House.

"Yes, I suspect you'll have no problems within the House. Being a Malfoy makes you basically royalty within Slytherin House. As a 7th year on top of that, you'll have a very pleasant year. It's unfortunate I cannot extend to you a Head Girl badge. Hermione Granger was well on track to be named Head Girl for this year, but I cannot give it to you." he said.

"I understand. It would be odd for a new student to be Head Girl anyway." she replied. It was a little sad, but she understood. "It might be nice to have a year off of responsibilities. I can concentrate on preparing for my NEWTs."

"That's a good way to look at it." the Professor replied. They decided to adjourn their meeting early. Brenna went out to the greenhouse, while Severus went to go check another of Draco's essays.

At dinner, Narcissa announced that she would be taking Draco and Brenna to Diagon Alley the following day. Brenna gulped. It would be the first time she had left the house as Brenna Malfoy. Draco squeezed her hand reassuringly under the table. There had been several dinner guests since she had arrived, so the news that Lucius Malfoy had a daughter was not a secret any longer. Father told her people had heard she was quite beautiful from former guests and many were claiming to have met her when they, in fact, had not. That was what surprised her the most. It made it seem as though she were some kind of celebrity.

"Don't people wonder why they never met me before?" she asked one day.

"You'd be surprised the things that polite society is willing to forgive. I've told them all you had been attending a magical finishing school in France, but your mother and I decided we wanted you closer to home during such a dangerous time." Lucius said. Brenna nodded. She could easily stick to that story. Mother had told her it wasn't unusual for upper class families to send their daughters to a finishing school somewhere rather than another magical institution.

That night Brenna and her mother were standing in her closet trying to decide what she would wear to Diagon Alley the following day. Brenna had no idea, so she enlisted help.

"Well, for starters, it needs to be green, white, black, silver, or some combination of those colors. Here we go." Narcissa said. She pulled out a beautiful green robe with white embellishments around the bottom, neck and cuffs.

"Wear your black dress under this and you'll be quite lovely." Narcissa said. It was far better dressed than Hermione had ever been in Diagon Alley, but she knew that she was making her first appearance. She seemed to recall that the Malfoys were always dressed up when she'd seen them in public before.

The next morning, Brenna was nearly sick with nerves. She managed to eat some breakfast and headed back upstairs to get dressed for the day. She put on the robes Mother had designated earlier, applied some very light makeup, and braided her hair in the fashion her father liked best- one loose but orderly braid. She then applied the necessary warding spells to protect her pale skin from the sun before heading out.

Mother and Draco were waiting for her in the entryway. Draco was perusing the supply list.

"Brenna, I can't remember, are you will taking Divination?" Draco asked with a smile.

"The day I take Divination again will be the day a hippogriff wanders up to you and wags its tail." she joked back. Draco was wearing a solid black suit, probably his new one. Mother was wearing gray robes over a green dress.

"Come along, children." she said, leading the way out of the house. They stepped out onto the front walk before side-along apparating. Brenna knew how to Apparate alone and had her license, but she side-along apparated to minimize Draco's embarrassment. They reappeared at one end of Diagon Alley. Narcissa immediately set off, leaving Draco and Brenna to walk in her wake.

"Keep your head up and walk tall." Draco whispered, reminding her. She easily fell into the relaxed, trained walk she had been practicing all month. She could feel lots of eyes on her as they walked down the street. Mother led them to Madam Malkin's first.

"Good morning, Mrs. Malfoy. What are you needing today?" the witch asked as they filed into the store.

"My children are both in need of Slytherin robes for school, five sets each, as well as the other elements of their uniforms. Please charge it to our account. Children, I will purchase your stationery supplies while you are being fitted. I will return here when I have finished." Mother instructed. She winked at them when she had her back to the shop owner and then left the store.

"Alright then, Miss Malfoy if you would please remove your outer robe, and Mr. Malfoy your sport coat, there are pegs along the side wall for them. Then if you'd please stand on the fitting blocks I'll be right back with the robes.

"You will find this not as pleasant an experience as you remembered." Draco said quietly, hanging his coat and stepping on the farther of the two stands. Brenna hung her robe carefully and stepped onto the other stand. She had only been fitted for robes a couple of times, but it had always been a pleasant and magical experience. She couldn't see how it would be much different. Madam Malkin bustled into the room with her arms loaded with black robes with green inlay and Slytherin insignias.

"Here we are. If you'd both put on one of these we'll get started." she said, handing them each a robe. Brenna couldn't help but not that it wasn't nearly as soft or comfortable as the robe she had just removed. She watched as Draco's robe was fitted to him quickly. She could have sworn she saw him wince a couple of times. In a moment, he was taking off a fitted robe and it was her turn.

It was indeed not as comfortable an experience as it had been. Brenna was poked with the needle several times, which had never happened before. Each time Madam Malkin muttered a 'Sorry, dear.' They went back and forth until each of them had five fitted robes. Madam Malkin waved her wand to fold and box them quickly. Meanwhile, she was taking their measurements with a tape measure. Five plaid skirts and white blouses flew into one box while five pairs of black pants and five button-up white shirts flew into another. By the time they had finished redressing, Madam Malkin had all their purchases organized and shrunken. She applied a featherweight charm and a shrinking charm and handed them each two small boxes. Brenna placed hers neatly into the small clutch she carried while Draco tucked his in an inner pocket.

"Have the bill sent to Gringott's." Draco said, scowling. Brenna felt herself sneering a bit as well. She felt as though she had been put through a wringer. They walked out of the store back onto the street.

"Please tell me we don't have to go back there again." Brenna said quietly.

"We don't. We only go there for school robes." Draco replied quietly. Brenna sighed in relief. Then she heard two voices she really hadn't wanted to hear today.

"Well, well, look here, Harry. It looks like the bouncing ferret has a friend." Ron said bitterly. Brenna wondered briefly if he always talked that way to Draco. She guessed he had.

"Yeah, who is your friend Malfoy?" Harry asked. The two stopped in front of them, doing their best to look intimidating. Brenna nearly laughed.

"For your information, this is my sister. Brenna, this is Ron Weasley and Harry Potter." Draco said, his voice full of distain. He had reached behind her for her hand, which she gripped tightly. She appreciated the silent moral support.

"Not friends of yours, I presume." she said calmly.

"Decidedly not. Potter here seems to think he's the savior of the world while Weasley is his idiotic sidekick. They used to have another little friend, but I hear she died." Draco said, laughing a bit at the last part. She knew he was laughing because she was indeed quite alive, but to Harry & Ron it probably seemed more like he was joking about Hermione's death.

"Pity." she heard herself say, her voice dripping with sarcasm. It was odd to address your own death with sarcastic glee. She watched as Harry and Ron's faces fell.

"Boys! Harry! Ron! Over here!" they heard suddenly. Brenna and Draco turned their heads to see Molly Weasley standing on the steps of Ollivander's calling to them at full volume and waving her arms over her head. Brenna was a bit embarrassed for them.

"It appears as though you are needed elsewhere," she said, looking from Harry and Ron to Mrs. Weasley. The boys blushed and slunk away toward the red headed woman.

In a moment Narissa was upon them, grabbing Brenna by the arm. "Come along you two, we've much more shopping to do," she said, walking off toward the apothecary, keeping Brenna's arm locked in her own. Draco followed along behind them, stopping only to sneer at Harry and Ron again.

*** With Harry and Ron***

"I see you met the elusive Malfoy girl. What's she like?" Tonks asked. "They are my cousins you know."

"I didn't even know Malfoy had a sister. It looks as though she's a clone of him, only female."

"I heard she was at a finishing school in France before this year. Apparently Lucius and Narcissa wanted her closer to home." Tonks said.

"Don't know what kind of finishing school they had her in. She's just as nasty as Draco." Ron said.

"She's so pretty though. Did you see that beautiful robe she's wearing? Oh to have robes like that…" Ginny said a little dreamily. Harry & Ron looked at her in total shock.

"Whatever Ginny, you haven't talked to her." Harry said, leading them to Fred and George's joke shop.

*** Back with Brenna***

It was a long day of shopping. They bought all of the necessary school supplies, including a trunk for Brenna. While they were in Flourish and Blotts, Draco disappeared for a little while. They had lunch at a nice restaurant that Brenna had never before noticed in the Alley before returning home. Once safely back inside the manor, they all visably relaxed. They trekked up to Brenna and Draco's bedrooms where Narcissa returned all of their purchases to original size before leaving them to go rest. Brenna had just finished loading all of the books and robes she needed into her trunk when Draco came in, wearing a large cloak.

"I have something for you. Let's call it an early birthday present," he said. Brenna looked up confused. Draco removed his cloak and handed her a solid black kitten.

"I know you used to have one."

"Thank you, Draco. She's beautiful," she said, hugging him while carefully avoiding squishing the kitten.

"I'm glad you like her. Well, I'm going to go take a little nap." he said, leaving again. Brenna set the kitten gingerly on her bed before heading into her closet to hang up her robes and find something more casual to wear. When she returned to the room in loose cotton sweats and a tee shirt, the kitten was curled up asleep on her extra pillow.

"That's a very good idea, kitten," she said quietly before climbing into the bed and curling up for a nap. She was exhausted from today. She was irritated with the way that Harry and Ron spoke to her and Draco. Before long, she was asleep.

AN: I'm back at work now, so I don't know how frequently I'll remember to update. The chapters are already written, so I just have to proof and upload them. My most loyal reviewers will hopefully PM me if I go too long without an update, but I'll try to remember to update regularly.


	8. Chapter 8 The Hogwarts Express

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 8- The Hogwarts Express

Brenna awoke an hour or so later to the black kitten nudging her gently with its head.

"What's the matter, kitten? Do you need some attention?" she asked, scooping it gently. The kitten purred as she picked it up and stroked it.

"You're so soft and so sweet, little kitten. I should name you Dolce," she said. The kitten meowed.

"So that's your name, is it, Dolce?" She laughed. It was a good thing the kitten had woken her as it was time to prepare for dinner. Brenna hopped out of bed, turned on the music and pranced around the room as she dressed for dinner. Dolce stayed near her the entire time, though she was careful to not be stepped upon. Brenna combed her hair, deciding to leave it down for dinner. She scooped up Dolce and walked downstairs.

"Did you have a nice nap, dear?" Narcissa asked as she entered the room.

" Yes, thank you, Mother. Were you able to rest?" she asked in return.

"I did rest for a while. I assume this little fuzzball is what Draco decided to get you for your birthday?" Narcissa asked.

"Yes. She's very sweet. I've named her Dolce."

"Brenna there is a set of cat food bowls in that corner. Perhaps Dolce would like to eat with us." Lucius said. Brenna sat the cat gingerly in front of the cat bowls. One held a quantity of dry cat food while the other was full of water. Dolce began to eat neatly. Brenna went back to her seat as Draco arrived. They had a very nice family dinner, occasionally stopping to see what Dolce was doing. The kitten ate all of the food, bathed herself, and curled up into a ball on the floor.

Brenna stopped to pick up the kitten again before she left the room. She carried her all the way to the family parlor where she and Draco played with her until they had worn her out.

Dolce, it turned out, was no trouble at all. The kitten usually stayed near Brenna. It chased butterflies and hunted gnomes in the gardens in the morning. In the afternoon, she napped in the sun, usually in the sitting room, while Brenna had her lessons. In the evenings Brenna played with her kitten in her room or in the family parlor. Nights were spent with the kitten sleeping somewhere on Brenna's bed or otherwise walking about through Brenna's room.

Brenna proudly introduced Dolce to Professor Snape when he came for his last visit of the summer. She told him about visiting Diagon Alley, being prodded by Madam Malkin and harassed by Harry and Ron. He told her that he would not be visiting any more that summer. He had to prepare for the coming school year, and would be busy restocking potions in the Infirmary and attending various staff meetings. They only had two weeks left before the Hogwarts Express arrived at the castle. Brenna would miss her conversations with him. She had begun to see him almost as an adult friend, but he wouldn't be disappearing. She would see him at Hogwarts. She, of course, told him none of this.

Draco's birthday fell one week from the day they were due to board the Hogwarts Express. Brenna gave him his birthday present, a book of to write his music in and some eagle feather quills, that morning when she woke him. Draco didn't take kindly to her jumping onto his bed yelling, Happy Birthday Draco until he saw the gift. He had a few friends over that evening, most of the Slytherin boys going into 6th and 7th year. Draco was proudly showing off the new broom that his parents had purchased for his birthday. He recieved an array of small gifts from his friends which he showed to Brenna late that night.

"They were very curious about you." Draco said. "Many wanted to know where you were."

"Why would I go to your all guy birthday party?" Brenna said, laughing a little. Draco shrugged.

"I told them to sod off; you'll meet everyone next week on the train anyway." Draco said, petting Dolce while Brenna flipped through a book he'd been given.

All too soon, they were packing up everything for Hogwarts, double-checking everywhere for forgotten socks or another quill. Mother was a weepy mess, constantly coming in to see them, and then leaving suddenly to go cry in the hall. Draco just rolled his eyes. Lucius levitated their trunks downstairs and into the Ministry car that would take them to the train station. Draco and Brenna were dressed in casual Muggle attire, loose blue jeans and tee shirts. Lucius sported a black business suit while Narcissa wore a green dress. Upon arriving at Platform 9 ¾, Draco & Brenna stowed their trunks quickly and hopped back off the train to say goodbye to their parents. They said goodbye with all the usual promises- we'll write every day, we'll tell Professor Snape you said hello, we'll be good, etc.

"Come on. I've got to go to the Prefect's car, but I'll introduce you to some people first." Draco said, leading the way down the train. Brenna followed, carrying Dolce in her arms. A year ago a car full of Draco's cronies would have been the last place she'd wanted to sit, but she was glad that he was going to reintroduce her to the Slytherins before leaving. There were only two people in the car when they arrived.

"Brenna, this is Pansy Parkington, and that's Daphne Greengrass. They are two of your new roommates. Pansy, could you introduce Brenna around? I've got to go up to the Prefect's car, but she doesn't know anyone yet." Draco said.

"I am not helpless, Draco. I will stay here and meet your friends," Brenna said, sitting down.

"Okay, Bren, whatever. Save me a seat, okay? I'll be back," he said, walking back out of the car at the other end, moving toward the Prefect's car at the front of the train.

"So you're Draco's sister?" Pansy asked, sitting down beside her.

"Yes, but I prefer to be called Brenna. Draco's sister just doesn't have the same ring to it," she said a bit snarkily. She was a little irritated with Draco treating her as though she's helpless, and she'd unwillingly picked up a little more of Professor Snape's snarkiness over the summer.

"Understandable. I'm Pansy, Pansy Parkington. What's your cat's name?" the girl said. Dolce was currently sitting in Brenna's lap, observing the surroundings. Brenna picked up that Pansy was trying to be friends. She decided to play along.

"Dolce. She was an early birthday gift from Draco," she said, smiling at Pansy. Pansy grinned back.

"She's so pretty. May I hold her?" Daphne asked. Brenna nodded consent and Dolce was whisked off her lap and into Daphne's. The girl was happily petting Dolce when another Slytherin entered the car. It was Theodore Nott.

"Theodore! Brenna this is Theodore Nott. Theodore, this is Brenna Malfoy." Pansy said, pleasantly. Theodore nodded once before continuing down the car and taking a seat further down. Brenna watched him pop in some headphones.

"Don't be offended. Theodore doesn't talk much." Daphne said. Brenna nodded. Next in the car were Crabbe and Goyle, two oafs with whom she was rather familiar.

"That's Vincent Crabbe and Greg Goyle. They're such idiots none of us are exactly sure how they get through each year. Draco usually looks after them at school. People pick on them when he's not around, so they usually follow him around like lost little puppies." Pansy whispered. Brenna hadn't realized that Crabbe and Goyle were with Draco all the time for their own benefit. She knew he couldn't be too fond of them, as Draco hadn't mentioned them all summer or invited them to visit for poker night. Their families had also not dined at the manor all summer. The two oafs looked around for a few minutes before taking seats at the far end of the car. They looked rather lost. Brenna felt rather sorry for them.

In the span of about half an hour, Brenna met the rest of the Slytherin 6th and 7th years, even some younger students. The car was filling up. Her little portion of it was full with Pansy, Daphne, Milly Bulstrode, Blaise Zambini, Astoria Greengrass, and Malcolm Braddock. They did make sure to save a place for Draco to sit when he returned. Dolce was passed around, though she eventually escaped and ran back to Brenna's lap. She hissed at anyone who came too close.

"Sorry, Dolce isn't really used to a lot of people being around." Brenna said. She hugged the cat to her gently, soothing it to sleep.

Draco strutted into the car a little later and wasn't at all surprised to see his sister at the center of the largest group. He slid into the empty seat next to her.

"Thanks for saving me a seat, sis." he said, plucking Dolce from her lap. The cat opened its mouth to hiss but stopped when she realized it was Draco. Brenna was getting tired of the group 'educating' her on Hogwarts, so she excused herself to go stretch her legs a bit. Mercifully, no one followed her. She bought a pumpkin juice from the witch who pushed the snack cart. She chatted briefly with a few Ravenclaws that were friendly. It was interesting to see the first years, sitting in a few different cars, a blend of nerves and excitement. Most of them were already wearing their robes, printed with a generic Hogwarts crest that would change to that of their house after sorting.

She remembered when Hermione was a first year. She had been so excited that she'd already memorized most of The Standard Book of Spells Grade 1 before boarding the train. She'd also read Hogwarts: A History a few times. How times had changed. Brenna hadn't so much as peeked at any of her NEWT level books before putting them in her trunk. She wasn't really looking forward to going back to school. It all seemed so anti-climactic now. Brenna couldn't really complain though. Unlike the Weasley twins, she had no idea what she wanted to do after graduation. She didn't want to be an Auror like Ron & Harry. She didn't really want to be a Ministry worker, as she was sure Father would want. She was nearly eighteen years old and had just changed her entire identity. She had no friends anymore except her younger brother. She wandered to an empty car near the end of the train and stared out the window, lost in thought.

"There you are. What are you doing all the way back here?" Draco asked as he entered the car.

"Just thinking. Sorry, I just had to get away from the crowd for a bit." she said.

"Well you've been gone for almost two hours. I was getting worried. Come on; it's time to get changed." he said, handing her a bundle with a full uniform from her bag.

"Thanks, little bro. You're a pal," she said, accepting the bundle. She headed toward the girl's changing area while Draco, who was already wearing his uniform headed back up the train to the Slytherin car.

She returned to the Slytherin car after she changed to find that it was a different looking place now that they were nearing Hogwarts. Everyone was lounging in groups of two or three and everyone was wearing Slytherin robes. Draco had his prefect badge pinned proudly to his chest. He was resting near where they were sitting before, watching everyone. Dolce was sitting on the bench beside him.

"Thanks for coming to find me. I might have been spaced out for a while longer on my own." Brenna said, stuffing her Muggle clothing into her trunk. Dolce looked up and meowed. "Did you miss me, Dolce?" The kitten meowed again and purred as Brenna scratched her head.

"She clawed Crabbe and Goyle. That's when I realized how long you'd been gone. Dolce had wandered all the way over to them, probably while looking for you. Those oafs were petting her as gently as they could, but it was still pretty rough. We heard her attack Goyle's hand when he tried to touch her. That's when I realized it had been quite a while since you'd left for your little break." Draco said.

"Who did you leave her with when you came to find me?" she asked.

"Theo. He's pretty good with animals. He just put her in the seat next to him and left her alone. She was fine." Draco said, pointing over to Theodore Nott.

"He doesn't say much does he?" she asked, noting that Theo didn't appear to have moved since he boarded the train.

"No, but he's a good guy." Draco said. Brenna gave the cat a little bit of food and tucked her into her carrying case. Pets were taken to the castle along with student trunks, so she would need to be in a labeled, protective case. Dolce was now in a leather covered plastic case with a small plaque reading "Brenna H. Malfoy- Slytherin."

Brenna tied her hair back into a ponytail just before the train pulled into the Hogsmeade station. She got off the train right behind Draco, making sure to stick very closely to him. After all, she wasn't supposed to know how all this worked. She climbed into a thestral-drawn carriage with Draco, Pansy, Milly, Daphne, Blaise, and Theo.

"Oh no. Crabbe and Goyle." Draco said quietly, watching the two climb into the carriage behind them.

"It's okay, Tracey Davis is there with them. They'll be okay." Pansy said, leaning out to see better.

"Astoria, get in that carriage." Daphne ordered. Her younger sister obediently got into the carriage with Crabbe, Goyle, and Tracey.

"They'll be alright. It's time for them to start learning to stand on their own anyway." Theo said quietly.

"I suppose you're right, Theo. I just don't want them to get picked on before school even begins. They know how to defend themselves now though." Draco said.

When they arrived at the castle, Brenna took hold of Draco's arm and allowed him to lead her through to the Great Hall. It was so hard to turn and walk away from the Gryffindor table. She was glad Draco was leading her over to the correct table. She sat down between Draco and Pansy Parkington, reflecting how odd it was to look at the room from this angle. She looked up at the Head table to find Professor Snape. She smiled at him, showing him that she was okay. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod.

Brenna then returned her attention to the conversation at the table. Pansy was trying to tell her about the enchanted ceiling, which was currently reflecting the cloudiness of the day. It was rather ironic, since the ceiling had been Hermione's favorite thing to discuss.

She watched the sorting from this angle, cheering for all the new Slytherins. She was very grateful that she hadn't been Sorted in front of the whole school. She wasn't even going to be recognized during the announcements, according to Professor Snape, which was fine by her. Sometimes relative anonymity isn't a bad thing at all.

"Good evening students. I'd like to welcome you to a new year at Hogwarts. We'll save the announcements for after tonight's meal. For now, tuck in." Dumbledore said. The tables suddenly filled with food. Brenna realized that she was ravenous. She enthusiastically filled her plate. Talk at the table had changed from everyone's summers to Hogwarts news and gossip regarding those in the room, occurring between bites.

"I wonder if he's going to say anything about Granger?" Milly asked.

"Is it true then, is the Gryffindor know-it-all really dead?" Blaise asked.

"That's what my father told me." Milly replied. Brenna had already learned that that was a popular expression of Slytherins. It was treated as a way of cementing something as fact, as though no one's father could possibly say something that wasn't true. Family was treated reverently in Slytherin.

When they had finished dessert, Dumbledore stood again to make his speech.

"Now that you've all had the opportunity to eat, there are a few announcements that need to be made before you may be dismissed to your Houses. The Forbidden Forest is still off limits to all students. Mr. Filch has an exhaustive list of banned items. Please check with Mr. Filch to see that you are not in violation of the list. Dates and times for Quidditch tryouts will be placed in your common rooms sometime within the next two weeks. Finally, and on a more somber note, the war has struck Hogwarts close to home yet again. I am sad to announce that Hermione Granger was killed in a raid of her parents' home over the summer. Miss Granger would have been a seventh year this year. We all mourn with Gryffindor House over this loss. Let's all have a moment of silence for Miss Granger." he said. The hall sat in utter silence for nearly a minute.

Brenna thought this whole thing was rather ridiculous. Professor Snape told her Hermione was dead, but not that she had been killed by Death Eaters. And now Dumbledore was conducting a moment of silence for a student he knew full well was in the room. It was almost laughable. In fact, she had to lock her jaws and squeeze her eyes shut to keep from laughing. She was glad that everyone was sitting quietly with his or her head bowed respectfully. Even the Slytherins were honoring the moment. When Dumbledore finally dismissed them, she could see Lavender and Parvati holding each other up, sobbing over their dead roommate.

"What's with those two drama queens?" Brenna asked, pointing over toward them.

"They're probably just milking it for all the attention they can get." Draco said, laughing a little. He and Brenna trekked down into the dungeons with all the other Slytherins. The Slytherin common room was past the Potions classroom and Professor Snape's office, but it wasn't too far into the dungeons. Parts of the dungeons, she knew, were locked from all students. She wondered briefly about the stories that lurked in those black halls. Before long, she was climbing through a break in the wall into the Slytherin common room.

AN: I'm sorry I didn't get an update out sooner, but my work has been crazy over the last few days. I work all day (10-13 hours or so) and it even follows me home! Hopefully soon everything will start to settle down and we'll have a few moments of peace.


	9. Chapter 9 The First Day

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 9- The First Day Part 1

Brenna went straight up the tower to her dormitory. Her trunk was placed in front of the bed near the window, and Dolce's case was on the bed. Brenna went and opened the door. Dolce was out and stretching in an instant. The cat then promptly hid under her bed. Brenna started unpacking the contents of her trunk into her bureau. Pansy, Daphne, and Millicent came upstairs. When they saw that Brenna was unpacking her trunk they began to unpack theirs. When Brenna went back downstairs, they all went back downstairs.

Brenna had to get away from her little posse, so she did something she didn't think she would ever do- she sat down with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Hi guys." she said.

"Pretty girl's talking to us." Crabbe said, attempting to be quiet and obviously failing.

"She is Draco's sister. She is nice." Goyle responded. Brenna was beginning to realize why people didn't talk to them. There really wasn't much going on up there.

"My name is Brenna." she said, trying again.

"Your name is Brenna. My name is Vincent Crabbe." Crabbe said.

"His name is Vincent Crabbe. My name is Greg Goyle." Goyle said. Brenna shook her head in wonder.

"I like to garden. You know, flowers? What do you guys like to do?" she asked. The two giant seventh years just stared at her blankly.

"You should stop now, Bren. That's more than they can handle. Come on." Draco said, coming up behind her. "Bye guys!" he called waving to them.

"Bye Draco! Bye Brenna!" they called in return, waving.

"I had no idea those two were so bad." she said quietly.

"Yeah- they pretty much know their names and food. I keep an eye on them, but I don't know how they've managed to continue passing. They're taking pretty much nothing now because of OWL grades." Draco said, leading her back over to a large group of older students.

"Draco, no. I don't really feel like socializing with a huge group tonight," she said, trying to remove her arm from his grasp. Draco let go, looking at her confused.

"What else were you going to do?" he asked.

"I don't know. I guess there isn't really much else to do right now," she said, looking around the common room. There wasn't really much going on besides large groups of people talking.

"Try it, just for a little while. You can sit next to me, and you don't even have to talk." he said, looking at her hopefully.

"Oh don't treat me like a child. I'm older than you, Draco Malfoy," she said, poking him in the chest. He was still several inches taller than her.

"Whatever, sis. Come on," he said, walking back to the group. He patted the place on the couch between him and Blaise Zambini. She laughed and took the seat. Blaise turned to her almost immediately.

"So where were you during Draco's party last week?" he asked.

"It was guys only, so I was upstairs minding my own business." Brenna responded.

"So what's your favorite subject to study, Brenna?" Pansy asked.

"I don't know. I really like Transfiguration and Potions." she said.

"You'll love Potions class here. Professor Snape is our Head of House. He's really strict, but he's a little easier on us. It was really fun to sit in there and watch the others squirm. I don't take Potions anymore, though." Pansy said.

"I do, and so does Draco." Blaise said. "There aren't going to be a lot of people in NEWT level classes. It's nice because we get to do cooler things. Professor Snape gives us more complicated Potions and stuff."

"I take Transfiguration. We can sit together if you want. Professor McGonagall teaches that class. She's the head of the Gryffindors, but she's not too bad." Pansy said hurredly.

"Guys, chill out. Brenna's really smart. I'm sure she'll be fine in classes, and she can sit wherever she wants." Draco said as the group started to swarm Brenna, inviting her to sit with her in each class. Brenna was freaking out a little with all these people circling her. They backed off a little after Draco called them down, but it seemed like everyone was still staring at her eagerly.

Brenna quickly faked a dramatic yawn.

"Well, I'm going to go to bed. It was really nice talking to all of you," she said quickly before running up the stairs. Draco watched her go shaking his head.

"Why do you guys have to do that? She's not used to all this. She went to a really small finishing school. You guys gang up on her like that and it's scary. Don't gang up on her. I don't want to have to set a limit on how many people can talk to her at a time. Okay, I'm going to go do damage control. Girls, give me 10 minutes before any of you come upstairs, and don't come up all at the same time." Draco said before he headed up the stairs to the girls' dorms. He knocked before entering the 7th year room. Brenna was sitting in bed. Draco hopped up on the bed facing the other way.

"What's your problem?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Why is it that every time there are a lot of people around you flip out? You had friends before. You used to be able to be in a big crowd of people. What's wrong with it now?" he asked.

"It was different before. People were always watching Harry, not me. These kids worship you, and now they want to worship me. I'm just not comfortable with that." she replied.

"You're going to have to get comfortable, because that's the way Malfoy's live. Why do you think Father has so much company all the time? People look up to us and want to be like us. You'll get used to it. You were doing fine until they started asking you to sit with them," he said.

"That was the problem. I felt like they were ganging up on me." Brenna whined.

"Well, if you need them to back off, just tell them to back off." Draco said.

"I'll be okay. I think I am going to go to bed though. It has just been a really long day."

"All right, goodnight then." he said, getting up and walking out of the room.

"Goodnight, Draco." she said. "Come on Dolce, it's time for bed." The kitten finally crept out from under the bed at Brenna soothing tones. She put the kitten on her bed and pulled the curtains down around it. She vaguely heard some of the other girls come into the room and settle down, but she was off to sleep.

In the morning Brenna felt a little better. She woke up before the other girls, bathed and dressed. She then waited in the common room for someone to walk to breakfast with. She was very excited about starting classes. Hopefully as 7th years they would be learning some really interesting things.

The first one down in the morning was oddly Theo Nott. He paused briefly at the bottom of the stairs before heading toward the door.

"Hey, Theo!" she called, jumping up from the chair. He stopped and looked at her. "Can I go down to breakfast with you?" she asked. He nodded and continued out of the common room. Brenna followed him and soon caught up. They didn't talk the whole way to the Great Hall.

"So what's your favorite class, Theo?" she asked. He shrugged in response. "I like Potions and Transfiguration. Actually I like all of them, those two are just my favorites."

The Great Hall was populated mostly with teachers and nervous younger students at this hour of the morning. There were still almost two hours before classes began. Brenna and Theo sat near the middle of the Slytherin table. Breakfast was a serve-yourself-as-you-arrive kind of meal, so they each fixed a plate of food after they sat.

"You don't talk much, do you?" she said, not really expecting a verbal answer anymore. She had prattled on about everything she could think of for an hour, trying to find something he would talk about, but nothing seemed to do it.

"Someone has to be the one to listen." he responded, looking at her pointedly.

Before she could say another word the rest of the 7th year Slytherins came in. Brenna suddenly realized just how noisy things could be. She didn't say anything for the rest of the meal.

Professor Snape passed out schedules shortly after Brenna had finished eating. She only had two classes that day- Charms and Defense.

"Miss Malfoy, I wish to see you in my office at eight o'clock this evening." the Professor said as he handed over her schedule. She didn't have potions until Wednesday.

"Yes, professor." she responded obediently. Everyone else received their schedules and they headed back to the dormitory to gather the necessary supplies for the morning.

Brenna pulled her softened leather school bag from her trunk. Looking at the black leather nearly made her giggle. Father had bought her the bag a few weeks before school started. It was brand new hard leather that squeaked a little when she moved it. She showed it to Draco, and he agreed that it had to be thoroughly broken in before she could use it at school. Only first years had a new school bag. Hers should look well worn as any other seventh year's. They used Draco's bag as a goal line. The siblings spent two afternoons working hard to destroy the bag. They walked over it in all kinds of shoes. They threw it down the stairs a few times while it was loaded with books. They drug it across the floor with the same books in it for a few laps of the house. They got it wet, broke some of the threads, spilled ink on it, scratched it with quills, and drug it through the grass and dirt. Finally, it was the worn looking bag she treasured today. Father had been furious when he found out what they had done to it, but Mother understood a little. She was content as long as Brenna was satisfied with it.

She put the textbooks for Charms and Defense in her bag along with an ample supply of parchment. There were pockets on the front intended for quills and ink, which she filled. Finally, Brenna shouldered her bag and headed back out the door. The other girls were not far behind her.

"Where are you going, Brenna?" Daphne asked.

"Charms, you?" she said.

"The same. Do you want to walk together?"

"Okay." Brenna responded. She was prepared to set off on her own, but she kept forgetting to pretend she didn't already know her way around the castle. Daphne was quite tolerable company as well. She listened as Daphne prattled on about Professor Flitwick while they climbed the stairs to the third floor classroom. Brenna began to pity anyone who had to go from the dungeon to the Divination or Astronomy tower for class. That was one perk of Gryffindor or Ravenclaw- their common rooms were in the middle of the castle.

Before long they were standing outside the classroom.

"So are you a front of the room or a back of the room kind of person?" Daphne asked.

"I like to sit near the front but not in the front row," Brenna replied.

"Oh. I'm personally a very back of the room person, so I guess we won't be sitting together much." Daphne said. She pushed open the door of the classroom and led the way inside.

Sixth and Seventh year classes went a lot farther to break down the rivalries between Houses. Suddenly, instead of having at most one other House in a class with your own, there were members of every house there. The Ravenclaws were already settled, as was to be expected. Some of the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors were there, but definitely not all. Daphne and Brenna were the first Slytherins.

"Ah, Miss Malfoy. May I see you for a moment?" Professor Flitwick asked. Brenna strode to the front of the room, stopping a foot or so from the professor's desk.

"Yes, professor?" she asked, giving him a charming smile.

"My name is Professor Flitwick, and I'm the Charms professor here. I just wanted to welcome you to Hogwarts. We're just going to jump right in to NEWT level curriculum today, but please don't feel badly if you have trouble keeping up. I know some of the smaller schools aren't able to run as productive a class as we do here. I will be glad to help you in the evenings if you fall behind." the professor said.

"Thank you for the very gracious offer, professor. My Charms skills were top of the class in my former school, so they will hopefully be at least adequate here." she said. She couldn't help but bristle a bit at his remarks. She smiled at the professor again and turned back to find a seat. There were other Slytherins in the room now, and each seemed to have sat down saving the other seat for her. Several waved at her happily. Brenna smiled at all of them but sat next to Draco. He hadn't even intended to save her a place, but she was so irritated after her conversation with the professor she just wanted to vent a little. After she sat down there was some bustling as the Slytherins reordered themselves, filling in the empty holes at some of the tables.

"You know you disappointed pretty much all of our housemates here." Draco joked.

"I don't even care right now. I'm so irritated," she whispered viciously.

"What was your little conversation with Flitwick about anyway?" he murmured.

"Oh, he wanted to let me know not to feel upset if my Charms skills were below par compared with the rest of the class. He offered to tutor me after classes until I was caught up." she whispered. Draco laughed silently.

"Knock 'em dead, sis. I hope he gives us a doozy of a spell today, just so you can wow him with your substandard charming skills." Draco whispered, still shaking with silent laughter.

Harry and Ron barreled into the classroom just a few seconds before class was to begin. They scurried to an empty table in the middle of the room and noisily removed the contents of their school bags, earning long-suffering glances from students in every house. Brenna rolled her eyes and wondered what kind of mischief they'd been into to cause them to be nearly late for class.

Much to Brenna's glee the spell taught in that class was the Blasting Charm, which caused materials to explode. She burned off a lot of anger and irritation destroying a wide variety of items for almost two hours. Flitwick assigned homework and dismissed them from class.

Feeling much better, Brenna decided to visit the library during her free period between Charms and Defense. She was able to slip away from the other Slytherins easily and walk up to the library. It was very tempting to go to Hermione's favorite chair at Hermione's favorite table, as she was accustomed, but she couldn't do that. Instead she went to the complete other side of the library and took a seat at a table by the windows. She flipped open the gardening book she's picked up on the way over and began to read.

An hour later a change in traffic in the library let her know that it was time to hurry off to Defense class. Remus Lupin was back as their Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor. Somehow Dumbledore had managed to swing it with the Board of Governors. Brenna had to take a moment to restrain her glee. She shouldn't after all be happy or excited about going into a classroom where a werewolf was in control. With her Malfoy mask firmly in place, Brenna entered the room. This was, by far, the largest NEWT level class. Even Crabbe and Goyle would be coming. So far though, no one was in the room except Harry and Ron. Brenna took a seat as far away from them as she could get. She really didn't want to get into anything.

"What's the matter, Malfoy? Afraid to sit anywhere near us?" Ron taunted.

"No, she just doesn't really need this subject, not with the Death Eaters in her family. She probably learns the Dark Arts at home with Mummy and Daddy." Harry said.

"Take it back." Brenna warned. It was a bad idea as now the boys knew they'd hit a nerve. She really hated it when people insulted her new family, especially when they assaulted that particular and unfortunate aspect of it.

"Oh, little miss Malfoy can't handle herself when no one else is around to save her arse." Ron said. "No Mummy or Daddy to help you now, not even big brother Draco." Brenna's hand tensed around her wand.

In an instant she was across the room, her wand pointed into Ron's chest as Harry found his hands mysteriously glued to the tabletop.

"Not that it's any of your business, Weasley, but Draco is my younger brother. I am quite an accomplished witch who you would be advised not to have as an enemy. Push me or my brother and you will see what I can do." she said dangerously. They heard a shuffling outside. Brenna quickly waved off the enchantment on Harry's hands and headed back to her seat just as a large group of students came in. Pansy sat next to her and promptly broke her stare at the boys.

"Who are you looking at?' Pansy asked, turning around to follow where her gaze was. "Oh, the Gruesome Twosome. You don't want to associate with them; they're a bunch of bullies. They were really good friends with Hermione Granger, that girl that died. Potter is nuts- he's been crazy the whole time he's been here. It's amazing though how the teachers and Dumbledore just fall all over themselves for him. He thinks he's the Chosen One. Weasley's just a henchman, but he's still dangerous. He doesn't have any idea what to do with his wand."

"I'd like to show him some place he could stick his wand." Brenna whispered angrily. Pansy laughed her shrill little laugh.

"You're very funny, Brenna. But seriously, be careful around crazy and crazier. You could get hurt. Plus, if something happened no one would believe your side except Professor Snape."

Professor Lupin came into the classroom at that point and conversation ceased. He taught something, but Brenna was in no way paying attention. She started out thinking about Harry and Ron as the Slytherins saw them, trying to figure out if what they thought was justified based on what she knew of the boys. Then she started noticing Lupin's blatant Gryffindor favoritism, especially regarding Harry and Ron. She managed to spend an entire class not paying attention without being called on. She wrote down the homework assignment, vowing she would research it later. She couldn't let her own education slip. She left as soon as they were dismissed and headed back toward the Slytherin common room. She went up to her room to ditch her school bag and find Dolce before going back downstairs. The kitten was more than happy to be loved on and played with after spending the morning all alone. She couldn't play long though, as it was time for lunch. She did make sure to leave the kitten in the common room when she left.

Brenna sat at lunch with the other 7th year Slytherins. They were all talking about classes. Pansy was very excited about her Divination class that afternoon and kept offering to read everyone's tealeaves. There were few like Brenna that had the afternoon off. Draco was still taking History of Magic, so even he would not be joining her.

The Slytherin common room that afternoon was full of students working alone or in small groups on homework assignments from the morning. None of the younger students were out of classes yet, so it was still quiet and fairly empty. Brenna managed to nab a seat at a table and wrote her Charms assignment and did the reading for Defense all while her free hand petted Dolce in her lap. When the younger students started coming in, Brenna decided to go walk about the grounds for a while with her kitten.

AN: Sorry for the long long wait folks! I got super busy at work, and then wouldn't let me upload this chapter for about a week. For all the commotion, I'll try to have at least one other chapter up here in the next week.


	10. Chapter 10 A Friend and An Unfair Fight

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 10 A Friend & An Unfair Fight

It was a sunny day out, so Brenna took Dolce outside to walk around the grounds. She had to resist visiting to Hagrid's hut. He was friends with Hermione Granger, not Brenna Malfoy. Unfortunately, most of the people she used to associate with would not even speak to her now. She walked around for a bit before perching on a rock near the lake. Dolce raced around the area, chasing dragonflies.

"Hello. Mind if I join you?" a voice asked. Brenna turned to find Cho Chang standing quite near her. Brenna nodded, scooting over to one end of the rock.

"Thanks. I'm Cho, by the way. Cho Chang."

"Brenna Malfoy. That's Dolce." she said. Brenna didn't really know what to say. Cho and Hermione were never friends, but that didn't mean Cho and Brenna couldn't be friends. Slytherins weren't completely against having friends in other houses, as long as you didn't run around with a pack of Gryffindors. Cho was a Ravenclaw, which was a perfectly acceptable house.

"Dolce is a fitting name for that kitten. I was watching it for a bit before I came over." Cho admitted, blushing a bit.

"She was an early birthday gift from Draco." Brenna said.

"So how do you like Hogwarts so far?" Cho asked.

"It's okay, I guess. Being a Malfoy is kind of like being Slytherin royalty, so there are people around me nearly all the time. I'm not fond of all the attention. The teachers keep acting like they expect me not to know any magic, which is frustrating because I'm a pretty good student. I got into a bit of a scuffle before Defense with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. It's been a weird day, and I hope not all days are going to be like this." Brenna said honestly.

"Well, I don't know what to tell you about the Slytherin stuff, but the teachers should lighten up after they see that you can do it. As for Harry and Ron, I'm not surprised they tried to pick a fight. Both of them have been in right foul moods, and Draco is Harry's archenemy, so to speak. They've been rivals for years." Cho said.

"How did that all get started anyway?" Brenna asked. Cho seemed to know more about this than she did. She knew that Harry and Draco were enemies, but Harry had never mentioned how that started.

"Well, Harry told me it started on the stairwell before their Sorting first year. Harry had made friends with Ron on the train. Well, your family and the Weasley's are like complete opposites, so Draco didn't think much of Ron. Anyway, apparently Draco offered to help Harry fall in with the right sort of wizards. Harry, of course, threw it right back in his face. I think that's about how it worked out." Cho explained.

"So this all goes back to a conversation between 11-year-old boys." Brenna said, "So basically those two prats were mean to me because of a conversation that I didn't take part in six years ago." She laughed hysterically. "Boys are so ridiculous."

Cho laughed right along with her. It was really quite ridiculous to think that this was still going on and might affect the way the two families saw each other for generations. The two girls chatted for quite a while, enjoying each others company.

"Brenna! You've got to come to the hospital wing!" Pansy yelled, running across the lawn.

"Pansy, what's wrong?" she asked, hopping off the rock.

"Draco got in a fight with Potter and Weasley! He's in the hospital wing! You've got to come quick!" Pansy yelled. Brenna quickly scooped up Dolce, ignoring the kitten's indignant meows of protest. Cho followed.

Brenna hurried to the hospital wing as quickly as Malfoy's were allowed to walk indoors. Pansy rushed ahead, though she was clearly making an effort to stay within sight of Brenna. Soon enough they arrived in the hospital wing. Harry and Ron were also there, lying on beds on the opposite side of the room from Draco's. Ginny was sitting in between their beds. Brenna noted almost happily that Ron was covered in blisters while Harry was blue and swollen looking. Draco looked reasonably unhurt, though he had a bandage wound around his head.

"Draco! Are you okay? I would have been here sooner, but I went to find Brenna." Pansy cried, nearly collapsing on the bed. Draco looked a little horrified. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were laughing.

"Pansy, I need you to do me a favor." Brenna said. It was the first time she'd used the Malfoy powers of Slytherin House. She knew full well that Pansy would do whatever she asked.

"What is it?" the girl asked, sniffling through her tears.

"I need you to take Dolce back to the common room so that I can stay with Draco." she said calmly, holding out the kitten.

"She needs food and water as well. You'll have to stay and make sure she eats. Kittens don't always eat, you know." Brenna said.

"I can do that." Pansy replied, holding out her arms. Brenna reluctantly handed off her kitten. Pansy held it tight, and Dolce yowled.

"Gently, Pansy. That's not a plush cat. Don't hurt her. Now walk slowly. She got a little shaken up when we hurried in here, so she make scratch or bite if you go running down the corridors." Brenna instructed. Pansy immediately loosened her grip and walked incredibly slowly out of the wing. She and Draco watched for a couple of minutes until she made it out the door.

"That was brilliant, Bren. I'm so glad you had that cat on you." Draco said.

"Well I couldn't exactly leave her outside, and when Pansy came running across the grounds screaming I thought maybe they'd just have the pieces of you in here. She's certainly got a flair for the dramatic." Brenna said.

"That she does." Draco agreed.

"So are you even hurt at all? It looks like the Gruesome Twosome over there got the worse end of the deal." Brenna said.

"Yeah they did. They came at me from behind as I was talking to Crabbe and Goyle in the courtyard. Anyway, Crabbe saw Potter fire a spell at my back, so he knocked me to the ground before it hit. I hit my head on a rock, hence the bandage. Crabbe got hit with the Jelly Legs Jinx. He and Goyle shouted a couple of nonsense spells at Potter and Weasley. Long story short, Crabbe and Goyle lost Slytherin a few points, Weasley and Potter over there lost Gryffindor some points and have detention with Filch tomorrow night, and yours truly gets off scot free. I get to leave when Pomfrey's sure the bleeding has stopped." Draco said smugly. Brenna had to chuckle a little.

"Oh, and you've got to watch out for Crabbe and Goyle for a while. They're sweet on you. The first thing they asked me when we got out of class was where 'pretty girl' was. It took me a bit to figure out that 'pretty girl who likes flowers' was you." Draco explained, laughing some more.

"Oh no. Well, do you need anything? I think Cho and I were going to walk to dinner." Brenna asked. Cho was standing by the door.

"No, but tell the gang I'm okay. I'm sure Pansy has them all thinking I'm on my deathbed by now. I'll be out of here sometime this evening. We should get a card game going tonight or something." Draco said.

"I'll tell them, but I don't think I can play tonight. I've got a meeting with Professor Snape, remember?" she asked.

"Oh yeah. Well, I'll see you later. Thanks for running off Pansy for me." Draco said.

"Anytime little brother." Brenna replied. She walked regally from the wing, smiling and laughing at Harry and Ron as she passed.

She fancied that she could hear Harry's jaw hit the floor when his ex-girlfriend and his worst enemy's sister walked out of the room with their arms linked, happily chatting.

Draco was the topic of the dinner table that evening. Brenna had to explain several times how he is okay and will be back in the common room that evening. She made sure that Crabbe and Goyle were lauded as heroes both for their defense of Draco and for having so thoroughly cursed Potter and Weasley. Brenna positioned herself beside them at the table and made sure to thank them both.

Draco made a triumphant reappearance in the common room at half past seven that evening. He thanked Crabbe for knocking him to the ground, and both Slytherins for acting in his defense. He was regaling the house with a dramatic retelling of the event when the time came for Brenna to leave for her meeting with Professor Snape.

It was odd walking to Professor Snape's office. She felt no fear, which was something very students could say they experienced. She had talked with the professor enough that there was no longer any anxiety in it, especially since she knew she hadn't done anything wrong. She knocked on the door to Professor Snape's office.

"Enter." he barked. She slipped in the door, shutting it behind her.

"Hello, professor." she said. He looked up from the desk and dropped the angry façade.

"Hello, Brenna. Have a seat." he said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

"Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?" she asked.

"I just wanted to make sure you were adjusting. I'm glad I had scheduled this meeting after what happened to Draco this afternoon." he said, leaning back in his chair.

"Well, Harry and Ron are making this very difficult. They were taunting me before Defense today, and I sort of implied that if they messed with me or Draco again they'd be meeting with the pointy end of my wand." Brenna said shyly.

"Were you planning on making good on that threat?" he asked.

"Truthfully?" she asked, looking at him. Severus nodded. "Absolutely, but I'm going to do smaller sneaky things so that I won't be caught as easily. I've gotten pretty good at nonverbal spells." she said.

"Spoken like a true Slytherin. As a professor, I must officially dissuade you from engaging in this sort of behavior and remind you that there will be consequences. As your family friend, I feel the need to encourage you and say that those consequences apply only if you get caught. Make sure no one catches you. Understood?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." she replied, smiling.

"Good, anything else bothering you?" he asked.

"I'm still trying to get used to being an unofficial leader of Slytherin. Everyone wants to be around me all the time. Sometimes it's good because it keeps me from doing things that Hermione did all the time, but it's also very annoying after a while." she said.

"I see. Well, you could always turn into a recluse, or you could just tell them all to buzz off occasionally." Severus said. Brenna chuckled at him. "Actually, I'm surprised you aren't complaining about the swarm of young men that watch your every move."

"A swarm of young men?" she asked.

"Oh yes, from every house as well. It appears as though you may be the new Hogwarts hottie. I heard a rumor today that you were part Veela." Snape said, completely deadpan. Brenna nearly fell out of her chair from laughing.

"I suppose I should pay more attention. Draco told me that Crabbe and Goyle have a bit of a thing for me after I talked to them last night, but I didn't know there were others." she said.

"Watch for it tomorrow, or even tonight in the common room. I don't want to keep you much longer. Remember, if you mess with Potter and Weasley, even if you don't get caught they will play too. You'll have to watch your own back. Perhaps having a fan club wouldn't be such a bad thing, you'll have backup all the time." he said.

"I'll consider it, Professor. Thank you for the advice and information. Goodnight." she said, walking out of the office.

"Goodnight Miss Malfoy." he replied. He shook his head, wondering what she would do first. Clearly, something was going to happen tomorrow.


	11. Chapter 11 Pranks & Problems

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 11- Pranks & Problems

The morning shined bright and full of promise for Brenna's first day of payback. She had filled Draco in the night before, and he was fully prepared to help. That morning a large group of Slytherin 7th years lingered outside the Great Hall, with Draco now giving a full description of Potter and Weasley's faces as the spells took effect. When the two had no choice but to walk past the group to enter the Great Hall, Brenna silently placed charms on each of them. Draco distracted the group for a few minutes longer so as not to draw attention before they moved into the Great Hall.

Already the charms had taken effect. Ron was not able to speak at a volume lower than a bellow while Harry was speaking of himself only in the third person. The hall rang with laughter, mostly at Ron, who wasn't aware of the volume at which he was speaking. Brenna and Draco laughed along just like all the other students. That afternoon in Transfiguration, the two kept finding that their wands were slipping out of their hands. McGonagall was furious with them, thinking they were being insubordinate.

In the mean time, Brenna noticed that she really did have a little pack of admirers. They followed her around at a respectful distance, which explained why she hadn't really noticed before. Brenna presumed they didn't want to deal with her brother should they do anything rash. That evening at dinner, a Gryffindor first year nervously walked over to the Slytherin table carrying a box of chocolates.

"These are for you." the girl said, handing Brenna the box.

"Who are they from?" Draco ordered, sneering at the little girl.

"Now now, Draco. There's no need to be mean to a first year. I'd really like to know who sent me this nice box of chocolates. If you whisper it in my ear, Draco won't be able to hear you." she said sweetly, leaning back.

"Harry Potter, but he said for me not to tell you it was him." the girl whispered. Brenna smiled.

"Thank you. I won't tell him I found out from you," she said kindly. "You'd better go back to your own House now. Thank you for bringing these over here."

As soon as the little one was gone, Brenna ripped the top off the box and cut a chocolate open. She recognized the odor of a Weasley brothers love potion. She chose a chocolate and made a big show of putting one in her mouth. She was careful not to bite down, and spit the whole chocolate out at the first opportunity.

About ten minutes later Brenna rose from the table and, being careful not to look anywhere but the Gryffindor table, sashayed her way across the hall. She tried to put on her most lustful expression. She strode up behind Harry and slowly ran her hand across his chest. The look of pure glee on Ron's face told her she'd guessed correctly about who she was supposed to be attracted to.

"Oh Harry Potter." she said, breathily, moving her head down until it was beside his head. "Was that the best you could come up with? Honestly, did you think I wouldn't check out the chocolates before I ate them or did you think I wouldn't recognize the scent of a Weasley love potion? Pathetic." she whispered roughly into his ear. She dropped the box of chocolates on the table in front of him and strutted away toward the chorus of raucous laughter from the Slytherin table.

For two weeks the battle raged between Brenna, Ron and Harry. Almost every day she was able to pull a prank on one or both of them. Not one time were they able to return a prank. It was getting worrisome though as the boys grew slowly more and more desperate to prank her. Brenna was relishing in her glory. Without the responsibility of whatever Harry's latest scheme was, she was able to have the best marks in her class and prank the boys without ever being caught.

One afternoon, Brenna was walking back to the Slytherin common room after classes. She had to go down a long flight of stone stairs into the dungeons. Little did she know that Harry and Ron had installed a trip wire right before the top of the stairs. She would trip over it and fall on the floor just before the stairwell. Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and a host of other Slytherins were a few yards behind her.

Just as planned, Brenna tripped over the wire. She tried to catch herself before hitting the ground and inadvertently ended up propelling so far forward that she rolled head over feet down the stairs, screaming as she fell. She landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

"Pretty Brenna! Are you okay? Goyle will help you!" Gregory Goyle bellowed. He moved to run down the stairs. Unfortunately, the trip wire had not broken when Brenna fell, so Goyle tripped in the same spot. He was much taller than Harry and Ron's intended victim, so he too ended up falling down the stairs, landing on top of Brenna at the bottom. She screamed again. Goyle had broken the wire so the other students ran at top speed, Draco calling directions.

"Pansy, go get Professor Snape now! Tell him there is an emergency." Draco ordered. Pansy headed straight off to the Potions classroom. "Crabbe, Zabini, pull Goyle off my sister." The two boys immediately went to work helping Goyle get up without crushing Brenna further. Draco knelt at his sister's side.

"Brenna, are you okay?" he asked.

"No." she cried in agony. "I think my leg is broken." There were footsteps as Pansy came running back up the corridor with the professor right behind her. He knelt on the floor beside Brenna.

"Drink this." he said, putting a vial to her mouth. Brenna obediently drank and felt the pain lessen a little.

"Mr. Malfoy, go to my office and Floo your home. Tell your parents they are needed at Hogwarts." Snape said. Draco ran off. Professor Snape was one of few people he would leave Brenna with without question. "Mr. Goyle, are you able to walk?"

"Yes, sir." he said, standing to prove it.

"Good, you will follow Miss Malfoy and I to the Hospital Wing. Miss Bulstrode, you will go to the Headmaster's office and tell him he is needed in the Hospital Wing. Miss Greengrass, you will go to my classroom and tell the second years their lesson has been cancelled," Snape said. He conjured a stretcher and carefully loaded Brenna onto it. Brenna screamed again as he moved her leg. As soon as she was safely on it, Snape levitated the stretcher and hurried up the stairs, yelling.

"Potter! Weasley! Show yourselves." he barked. The two boys appeared from under Harry's invisibility cloak. "You will follow us to the Hospital Wing, and bring whatever your instrument of torture was." The two boys nodded wide-eyed. They had intended to embarrass Brenna Malfoy, but they had potentially seriously injured her.

They were an odd parade walking down to the Hospital Wing. Snape floated Brenna to a bed and gently lowered the stretcher.

"Poppy. You've got a new patient." he said loudly. The Mediwitch bustled out of her office. "She fell down the dungeon stairs, then Mr. Goyle here fell as well and landed on her. I'm fairly certain she has a broken leg, but she may have other injuries. Mr. Goyle also needs to be assessed. Her parents are on their way." Severus said.

"Has Albus been notified?" Poppy asked, waving her wand over the now unconscious Brenna.

"I dispatched a Slytherin to do it." he said. "What can I do?"

"She does have a broken leg, and a couple of broken ribs as well. The bone-mending potion is on the shelf. We'll also need the one for a concussion and a dose of the strongest pain potion we've got." Poppy said, finishing her scan. The potions master grabbed a handful of potions and hurried back over to the bed. He slowly began administering them while Poppy herded Goyle to a bed so she could examine him. He was given a mild pain reliever and sent on his way. In the mean time, Albus arrived, accompanied by Minerva. Severus filled them in on Brenna's condition and what he knew of the accident. She told him there was a crowd of 7th year Slytherins outside the wing. She would speak to them to get an account of the accident. Albus looked at Brenna, then the two professors present. He asked Severus to alert him if there were any changes and headed back to his office.

Draco came into the wing followed by Lucius and Narcissa.

"Severus, what happened?" Lucius asked as Narcissa ran over to her daughter.

"She fell down the stairs, then Goyle fell on top of her. She broke her leg, a couple of ribs, and has a concussion. We've treated everything now; there's nothing left to do but wait while her body heals itself." Snape explained.

"Do you know why she fell?" Narcissa asked.

"I have my suspicions, but nothing is confirmed yet. Minerva and I will share information with you as we get it." Severus said. "I've got to speak with a few students about what happened. Minerva and I are trying to get all the accounts straight. I will be back as soon as I know something." He walked out of the wing, pushing Harry and Ron ahead of him.

McGonagall had finished speaking to the students in the corridor. They all reported that Brenna and Greg had both just mysteriously fallen. They all came down the same steps and no one encountered anything to make them misstep. She noticed Severus taking Potter and the youngest Weasley boy from the wing and followed them to a nearby empty classroom.

The boys sat down, facing the fearsome Potions Master and the Transfiguartion professor.

"Alright, you two. What happened?" Snape growled.

"It was an accident, honest. We just meant for her to trip, not to fall down the stairs." Ron squealed.

"How did you mean for her to trip?" McGonagall asked.

"She's been pranking us for weeks and we hadn't been able to prank her back. We just tried to do this one thing, but it ended up terribly." Harry said.

"What did you use, Potter?" Snape said dangerously. Harry dug in his pocket and pulled out a spool of barely visible thread and handed it to the professor. Snape unrolled a little of it, and pulled. It was very strong. "Tripwire." he mumbled. The boys nodded.

"Minerva, I'll leave these two to you. I've got to go check Miss Malfoy's ankles for damage. I don't know if Poppy would have scanned all the way to her feet." Severus said. He left the room returning to the hospital wing. The Malfoys were gathered around the bed, watching Brenna. Severus stood at the foot of the bed and started carefully removing Brenna's shoes.

"What are you doing?" Narcissa asked.

"I've got to check her feet for damage." Severus said, carefully rolling down her socks. Sure enough there was a large red line across her left ankle. Snape got a cream to heal it before checking to make sure that her feet and ankles were not broken.

"What is that? What happened?" Lucius asked.

"It was a prank. They'd meant for her to fall, but not down the stairs. Apparently she tried to land on her feet, thus giving her the propulsion to reach the stairs. It was a trip wire," he said, holding up the roll of thread Potter had given him. He unrolled a little for them to see. "There's no way anyone could have seen this a few inches from the floor."

"If she fell on a tripwire, then how did Goyle trip?" Draco asked.

"Simple- Brenna's weight wasn't enough to break the trip wire. This stuff is strong. Mr. Goyle broke it with his fall, allowing the rest of you to run down undeterred. If you'd rushed it at the same time, a lot more than one person could have fallen." Snape explained.

"Who would prank my daughter? I want the perpetrator expelled!" Lucius demanded.

"She's been engaged in a prank war with some students for the last several weeks. She had been able to prank them, but no one had succeeded in pranking her back. It was not meant to be harmful in any way. I truly believe they just meant to embarrass her. She will make a full recovery, so I don't feel that expulsion is quite necessary. The Headmistress will make sure that they are severely punished, but Brenna is not entirely without responsibility in this matter."

"This prank war will have to end, Severus, before someone else gets hurt." Narcissa said.

"I quite agree. I will personally assemble all the involved parties as soon as Brenna is awake to discuss terms of peace." Severus said.

Brenna awoke an hour later feeling very sore. Madam Pomfrey examined her thoroughly while she told Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape what had happened. Minerva in turn told her everything that had happened in the wake of her accident. They then left her with her family for a moment, pulling the curtains tightly shut.

"How are you feeling, love?" Narcissa asked.

"I'm a bit sore, but otherwise I'm fine, Mother. You can stop worrying now." Brena replied.

"You gave us quite a fright, little girl. Try not to let it happen again." Lucius said.

"Yes, Father. I will not make it a habit to fall down a flight of stairs and have a very large student fall on top of me." Brenna replied, laughing a little. She started to laugh, but it hurt her bruised muscles too much, so she stopped after emitting a quiet squeaking noise.

"Your father and I brought you something. Since tomorrow is your birthday, we decided to give you a present now." Narcissa said. Lucius reached into his robe and brought out a small square box that could only mean one thing- jewelry.

"We wanted to make sure you would always feel like a part of this family." Lucius said, opening the box. "Happy birthday, Brenna." Brenna gasped at the contents of the box. Lying there was a miniature Malfoy family crest on a silver pendant.

"Oh thank you, Father. Thank you, Mother." Brenna gasped. Lucius carefully removed the necklace and fastened it around her neck. The Malfoy's then said their goodbyes and headed home for dinner. Draco sat at her bedside dutifully. Brenna finally started to take the time to look at herself. She pushed up the sleeves on her rather large Hospital Wing pajamas. Angry red and purple buises marked her arms. Angry red and purple bruises marked her stomach. The largest and angriest red and purple bruises though were on her legs.

"I'm completely covered in bruises," she said quietly.

"Yeah. They haven't treated those yet. Bruises come after broken bones and concussions. I'm sure Madam Pomfrey has something for those though." Draco remarked.

"Miss Malfoy, it's time to end your little war." Professor Snape said, standing in between the curtains.

"I quite agree." she replied.

"Mr. Malfoy, you may go," the professor said.

"Respectfully, professor, no." Draco said. " I was involved in this as well." Professor Snape nodded and held the curtain up for Harry and Ron to slink past. They sat in the chairs on the other side of Brenna's bed from Draco.

"We're really sorry. We didn't mean for it to be near this bad." Harry said.

"I should hope you hadn't intended to kill me." Brenna said snarkily.

"Alright you four, what started all this nonsense?"

"Well sir, Draco couldn't get along with them, so I fell into what was already a bad situation. In Diagon Alley this summer, after Madam Malkin had prodded us repeatedly, Draco and I ran into Potter and Weasley while we were waiting for Mother. We exchanged some unpleasant words. Then, on the first day of classes, Potter, Weasley, and I were alone for a while in the Defense room. Words and threats were exchanged. I told them that if they attacked Draco, or me there would repercussions. Anyway, that afternoon was the attack on Draco, who had no idea what had transpired that morning. From then on well, you've seen it." Brenna explained.

"Anything to add?" he asked, looking at Harry and Ron. It was a fair retelling of the whole debacle, so the boys shook their heads.

"Alright, obviously there is longstanding bad blood here. Your activities though have managed to injure not just yourselves, but other students as well. This constant one-upping of each other will cease immediately. I can't tell you that you can't argue, but you will no longer fight using magic or any physical means. Furthermore, after Miss Malfoy is released, you will all be serving a detention together. Expect manual labor."

The four students nodded that they understood the terms.

"Now, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, it is currently dinner time in the Great Hall. You will proceed there without incident. Miss Malfoy, your dinner will be delivered shortly." the professor said, turning tail and stepping out. He began to help Madam Pomfrey push back the curtains that surrounded Brenna's bed. Harry, Ron, and Draco walked out of the wing. Professor Snape followed them.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Brenna asked as they left. The older witch turned and smiled at her kindly.

"Yes, dear. Do you need something?" she asked.

"Actually- I do have to use the restroom, but I wanted to ask you about my bruises. They really hurt. Is there anything that can be done for them?"

"I'm afraid I can't treat your bruises until tomorrow, dearie. The bruise healing paste has a rather nasty reaction with the concussion potion, so we have to wait 24 hours before I can do anything for your bruises. The restroom is over there. Do you think you can make it alone, or would you like help?"

"If you could help me get out of bed I think I might be able to manage the rest of it." she said, pushing herself to more of a seated position. Madam Pomfrey helped her turn her legs gingerly, and the girl carefully put her feet on the floor.

Making her way to the bathroom across the wing was difficult, but Brenna was determined that she would not require help in the bathroom. The one-size-fits-all pajamas were much too large for her. Brenna had to keep one hand around the waist of the pants to keep them from falling down around her ankles. Her muscles ached with every move, and there were bursts of pain when a bruise came in contact with the rough cotton of the pajamas. It took a while, but she did manage to make it to the bathroom and back to bed alone.

Dinner was waiting when she returned to bed. Madam Pomfrey rolled a tray table over her bed and placed a plate of roast chicken with vegetables. She also got boiled apple slices with cinnamon, pumpkin juice, and a slice of chocolate torte. It was a lot of food, but Brenna ate a little of everything. It must have been enough to appease the nurse because she didn't fuss at Brenna to eat more when she came to take the tray.

A couple of hours after dinner Draco was back, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"We come bearing gifts!" Draco called cheerily as they neared her bed.

"Hi, Vincent. Greg, are you okay?" she asked. Goyle held out a bouquet of flowers.

"For you, pretty Brenna. Goyle is sorry he fell on you." Goyle said. Brenna smiled at him before taking the flowers, trying not to gasp when the bruises on her back and stomach pulled.

"Thank you Goyle. It wasn't your fault that you fell." Brenna said simply. Draco filled the vase on her bedside table with water and held it out to receive the flowers. Draco then opened the bag he had set on the foot of her bed.

"I thought you might want some of your own pajamas since you'll be stuck in here all night and all day tomorrow. No offense, sis, but the ones you're wearing could fit Crabbe here. You look ridiculous." He pulled out Brenna's black silk pajama suit. Brenna clapped her hands and grinned. Those would feel so much better.

"Okay, I'm going to go change. You guys wait here." she said, managing to carefully swing her legs off the bed. With clean pajamas in one hand and the other hand holding up her pants, Brenna hobbled off to the bathroom to change. It was a little easier to deal with the pain from the pajamas knowing it was her last trip in them.

Getting undressed and dressed again was a bit painful, but it was worth it to have the comfortably fitting, lightweight silk pajamas on. She could barely feel anything when her bruises met with the silk, and it was much easier to move.

The boys were still waiting when she came out, having settled into the chairs around her bed. On Draco's lap was Dolce.

"Oh Dolce." she said, making her way back across the room. Draco turned and smiled at her.

"Well you look better now, move better too." he said. "We figured since tomorrow is your birthday, you might want to spend some time with your birthday present." Draco said.

"Tomorrow Brenna's birthday?" Crabbe asked.

"Yes, Crabbe. Tomorrow is my birthday." Brenna said, climbing back into her bed and pulling the covers back over her legs. Draco put the kitten on her lap.

"Tomorrow is Hogsmeade day." Crabbe said.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to go. I have to stay here until after dinner tomorrow." Brenna said.

"That is sad." Goyle said.

"Oh, I'll be okay. Don't be sad." Brenna said, petting Dolce while trying to steer the kitten away from her most painful bruises.

"Well we've got to get back before curfew. Is there anything you want for tomorrow? I can stop by in the morning." Draco said, scooping Dolce back up.

"There's a book beside my bed. It would be great if you could bring me that and my Arithmancy textbook, some parchment, quill and ink. That should get me through the day." she said.

"Okay. I can believe you're going to do homework on your birthday." Draco said, shaking his head.

"Think about it Draco, what else can I do in here besides read and do my homework?"

"Alright boys, visiting hours are over. Miss Malfoy needs her rest. You can come back in the morning." Madam Pomfrey said, herding them out of the wing.

"Night, Bren." Draco said.

"Night, Draco." she responded. Madam Pomfrey gave her another dose of pain potion and a Dreamless Sleep Potion before turning out the infirmary lights. Brenna closed her eyes and relaxed.


	12. Chapter 12 Birthday & Detention

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 12 Birthday & Detention

Brenna woke the next morning to someone lightly shaking her foot. She grumbled a little and rubbed her eyes. When she opened her eyes to the dark room, Draco was standing at the foot of her bed. He had a muffin with a candle in it on a plate.

"What are you doing up this early?" she asked. Her voice cracked a little with sleepiness. Draco chuckled at her.

"It's not that early. It's almost 9 o'clock. They must have drugged you well last night." he said. Brenna sighed and sat up in bed. Draco sat the muffin on the table and moved to help Brenna stack her pillows into a more comfortable shelf. It was still a little painful for her to bend. Once she was settled, Draco passed her the muffin, lighting the candle with his wand. "Happy birthday, sis."

"Thanks." she said, smiling at him before blowing out the candle. She waved her wand to bring the lights in the room up to normal brightness. "So what are you going to do in Hogsmeade today?"

"Not much. I thought I'd just walk around, visit Honeyduke's, maybe have a butterbeer. Just the usual stuff, you know." Draco said casually. "I brought your books and the other stuff you wanted."

"Thanks. You don't have to stay with me. I don't want you to miss out on any time in the village because you were here talking to me. I'll get out of here after dinner tonight anyway." Brenna said. Draco stacked her books and materials on the rolling table.

"Okay. I'll go then. I'll see you tonight." Draco said, walking out of the wing. Brenna sighed. She ripped off a piece of the muffin and ate it. It was blueberry; her favorite.

Madam Pomfrey came to check on her a few minutes later. She told Brenna that they could begin healing bruises at half past two that afternoon, twenty-four hours after the incident.

Brenna spent the day reading and working on her homework. She tried not to think about what a horrible way that was to spend her birthday. She tried not to think of the others in Hogsmeade, having fun while she sat here and worked.

Professor Snape came by before lunch to see that she was well, but she had no other morning visitors. Cho Chang came to visit after lunch, bringing along some candy from Honeyduke's. They had a very pleasant visit until Cho left to do some homework of her own. Brenna found out that she'd been left behind a year because of issues after Cedric's death. She hadn't managed to pass any classes fourth year between worrying about him and mourning him. Brenna felt bad for her.

At half past two exactly, Madam Pomfrey was standing at the foot of the bed with the bruise healing paste. Brenna looked at her excitedly.

"Now, Miss Malfoy, I can apply this to one area of your body every twenty minutes. It doesn't hurt, though it does tingle a bit. It will take about two hours for the initial application, then we may need to apply more paste if some bruises didn't disappear completely." she explained, drawing the curtains around her bed.

They healed her arms up to the shoulder first, one at a time, then her legs up to the hip. Her stomach and back were rather awkward times, as they also had to heal the bruises on her chest and buttocks. Finally, Madam Pomfrey dabbed some of the cream on her face and looked her over for areas needing a second application. There was still some bruising on her stomach and her leg where bones had been broken. The medi-witch dabbed on a little more cream there before allowing Brenna to dress. Her overall health was scanned once again before dinnertime.

After dinner, Brenna had to demonstrate that she could walk normally, climb on and off the bed, and go up and down steps all without pain before she was allowed to leave.

The corridors were mostly clear when Brenna walked through them. Everyone had left dinner by now, and most were engaged in their evening pursuits. She was thankful for this as she walked along in her pajamas, carrying Draco's bag full of her stuff. The oddest thing was that there were no Slytherins out. A first year leaning against the wall at the bottom of the dungeon stairs was the first Slytherin student she saw the whole way through the castle. The first year ran away as soon as she turned to walk downstairs.

It was pitch black in the common room when she opened the portrait. Now Brenna had an idea what was going on, but she would play along.

"Hello?" she called. "What's wrong with the lights?" As soon as she put both feet in the common room the torches relit themselves.

"Happy birthday, Brenna!" the entirety of Slytherin House cheered. Brenna then noticed that they had decorated the room. There were balloons and streamers everywhere. Barrels of Butterbeer were propped in one corner with cups, and there was a huge birthday cake. Just as she finished taking it all in, Draco was at her side handing her a cup of butterbeer.

"Do you like it? Were you surprised?" he asked gleefully.

"Yes and yes. Draco this is fantastic! How did you get it organized?"

"Well, Mother told me to buy balloons, streamers, and butterbeer on family credit in Hogsmeade. The house elves were more than happy to bake your cake, especially after we told them what happened to you. All the 7th years came back from Hogsmeade early to decorate, and the theme was easy enough to come up with." Draco explained. It was then that Brenna looked around the room and noticed that every Slytherin she could see was wearing pajamas. "Happy birthday, sis. Enjoy your party." he said, hugging her.

Brenna spent the evening dancing, drinking butterbeer, eating birthday cake, and chatting with nearly every member of Slytherin House. A little after midnight Professor Snape came to break up the party. The younger students went to bed while the 6th and 7th years lazed on the furniture. Brenna cast a few spells to get rid of the garbage in the room before she flopped down on a couch with the other 7th years. She answered questions about her accident for an hour or so before excusing herself for bed.

The next morning at breakfast, Brenna and Draco received notice that their detention would be that night. They were to report to the trophy room at 8pm.

When Brenna and Draco arrived at the trophy room that evening Harry and Ron were already there. The four students stared at each other for a few minutes before Professor McGonagall entered carrying several lengths of rope.

"Good evening everyone. I volunteered to run your detention tonight as I feel it is particularly important that we end this. You four will be polishing the trophies in this room in pairs. Mr. Potter, you will be working with Mr. Malfoy. Miss Malfoy, you will be working with Mr. Weasley. To ensure that you and your partner do work together, you will be tied at the knee and you will keep one hand behind your back. Now, stand beside your partner so I can bind you." McGonagall said. Harry reluctantly moved to stand next to Draco. They were soon bound tightly at the knee with a piece of rope. "Now, put the hand you won't be using behind your back." the professor ordered. Each boy each put his inside hand behind his back. Professor McGonagall spelled them to stick back there. The two boys glared at each other as they stood shoulder to shoulder.

"Alright Miss Malfoy, Mr. Weasley, the same if you please." the Professor said. Brenna and Ron slowly assumed the same position. When the rope bound them around the knees, Brenna felt uncomfortably close to Ron. She huffed a bit.

"Now, when you've finished the work those spells will end automatically. So, in short, the sooner you learn to work together the sooner you get to leave," the Professor said. "Also, no magic. You will do this by hand." She waved her wand again and their wands stuck firmly inside their robe sleeves. She placed a stack of polishing cloths and two bottles of potion on the floor in front of them before walking off.

"This is ridiculous." Ron mumbled.

"I agree, but let's get to work. I don't want to be here all night." Brenna replied. They started moving slowly toward the supplies.

"Come on Malfoy. The less time I have to spend tied to you, the better." Harry grumbled.

"Believe me Potter, the feeling is entirely mutual." Draco replied. They too began to move toward the supplies. Brenna and Ron got there first, collecting a bottle of potion and two polishing cloths.

"Alright, I think we need to establish some ground rules to make this work a little better. If you object to anything I suggest, feel free to speak up with a suggestion. First off, I think we should address each other by our first names. It's friendlier, and will keep us from getting confused which Malfoy you mean." Brenna suggested.

"Sounds fair, Brenda." Harry said.

"Now don't start that. My name is Brenna. There's no D. D is for Draco, while you're Harry and this is Ron." she said.

"I'm sorry, I really thought your name was Brenda." Harry said.

"That's okay. I know we probably won't be friends, but we can at least be civil. So I also suggest that we refrain from insulting each other, and that includes namecalling." Brenna suggested.

"Fine." Draco said, sounding rather put out. No doubt he had been thinking of some terrific insults for Harry and Ron.

"Anybody else have any suggestions?" she asked.

"No, can we get to work now?" Ron asked. "We'll start at this end; you guys start at that end." He practically pulled Brenna over to the far end of the display case.

They soon learned that is was impossible to do unless one person held the trophy while the other polished it. Ron and Brenna were successfully taking turns holding trophies while the other polished. It was a good break for your arm as well. Draco and Harry struggled for a while, but they too reached a silent agreement.

"I heard it was your birthday yesterday. I'm sorry you had to be in the hospital wing." Ron said quietly.

"It wasn't so bad. It was kind of nice to be out of the limelight for a while. Plus Draco threw me a party last night, so it ended up being a pretty good day." she said.

"Is that why you and Pansy were running back and forth across Hogsmeade?" Harry asked.

"Yes, we had a lot of stuff to get and people to coordinate. It would actually have been a lot more difficult if Bren hadn't been laid up and we'd've had to work harder to keep it all secret." Draco said.

"It was beautiful." Brenna said, smiling.

"You know, yesterday would have been our friend Hermione's birthday. Harry and I just noticed today." Ron said.

"Oh yes, your friend that died. I'm sorry; I'm sure you both miss her." Brenna said, sympathetically.

"Yeah." Ron said.

"Potter if you start tearing up over here I'm going to smack you." Draco warned.

"Draco! Be nice!" Brenna yelled, shooting him an angry look.

"What? Just because you're over there trying to be all buddy-buddy doesn't mean we all want to be friends. I'm only here to get this over with. I've got plenty of things I'd rather be doing this evening." Draco growled.

"Whatever, little brother. You break my rules again and I'll come over there and smack _you_." Brenna warned. "Who did you get to watch Crabbe and Goyle tonight anyway?"

"Blaise and Theo are doing it. Pansy said she'd help too." Draco responded. "You got Daphne to watch Dolce right?"

"No, she had to study for a test tomorrow. Astoria is doing it though." Brenna responded.

"I could be snogging my girlfriend right now." Harry said.

"Hey, that's my sister you're talking about, Harry. Watch it." Ron said.

"What? You know if we were in the common room now you'd be taking first years' money over the chess board." Harry said.

"True. Too true." Ron replied, scrubbing a rather large trophy while Brenna held it still.

"I'm really good a chess." he told Brenna.

"I gathered." Brenna replied.

"What do you like to do?" Ron asked.

"I like to garden." she replied.

"Oh, you must love Herbology class then." Ron said.

"No, I prefer plants that don't want to kill me." Brenna replied. Ron laughed.

"Hey, what's going on over there?" Harry asked.

"Nothing. Brenna just made a joke." Ron said. They returned to working quietly for a while.

Within three hours they had managed to polish every trophy. Harry finished polishing the last one as the clock struck eleven. Suddenly there was a quiet thump as both ropes fell to the ground and everyone could move both their arms again. No one moved for a second, but then they all reestablished personal space and stood rolling and rubbing their shoulders.

"Well, boys, that was fun, but let's not do it again any time soon." Brenna suggested.

"I'm all in favor of that." Harry said.

"I suppose we could continue to be civil to each other." Draco said, moving closer to the exit. "C'mon Bren, let's go."

"Alright. Goodnight, Ron, Harry." she called.

"Goodnight, Brenna, Draco." they replied. The two groups split their separate ways again, each headed to their own bed in the dormitories of their rival houses.

AN: Sorry for the lack of update. I got minorly singed by flames recently, and it caused me to stop writing temporarily. Then I remembered that I do have many readers who are enjoying this story and would probably appreciate another chapter. Thanks to all of you who are reading and enjoying.


	13. Chapter 13 Christmas Eve

Suprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 13 Christmas Eve

The next time Brenna turned around, it was nearly Christmas. She had taken the Hogsmeade weekend before to shop for small gifts for everyone. She got a sachet of potpourri for each of the girls in her dormitory, just because she felt like she should get them something. She got Draco a magical music stand that she had to order away for. For Mother she found a lovely stationary set that came with beautiful quills. For Father she purchased a new pair of dragon hide gloves of his favorite brand.

The excitement as she packed for Christmas vacation was multiplied for several reasons. First, she was really excited to go home and spend time with her family. Secondly, the family always had a ball on Christmas Eve. It was one of the social events of the season for Wizarding Britain. Brenna had never been to a ball before. She'd never even been to the ballroom of her family's home. It was all very exciting.

The train ride back to London was less tense than her last trip on the Hogwarts Express. The other Slytherins had begun to become used to her, so while she was still popular, she wasn't suffocated with the attention of everyone on the train. She sat in a compartment with Pansy and Daphne. The three girls had a copy of the latest Witch Weekly and were reading aloud from it for much of the trip. Dolce relaxed on the bench seat beside Brenna. Finally, they arrived in London. Father and Mother were both there waiting to greet Draco and Brenna as they came off the train.

Malfoy Manor was even more exquisite in the winter. There was a thin layer of snow on the ground as they pulled up, and frost clung delicately to the tree branches and windows. Single candles flickered in every window.

"Mother, it's beautiful." Brenna whispered in awe.

"Wait until you see the inside." Mother whispered back. Preparations for the ball at the end of the week had already begun. The entrance was fully decorated with thick garlands coming down the marble staircase, twinkling lights everywhere, and two large evergreens standing guard at the doors to the ballroom. It took Brenna's breath away. She stood in the entryway for a minute or two before she was able to follow her family upstairs.

The décor never really changed on the third floor of the manor. Brenna settled comfortably into her room, freeing Dolce from her cage and unpacking her trunk again. She had just finished when Draco stuck his head in the door.

"Come on. Let's go see the ballroom." he said urgently. Brenna immediately perked up and headed out the door. The two teenagers practically ran downstairs to the corridor that ended at the ballroom. They walked sedately down this hall and into the most beautiful rooms Brenna had ever seen. The room was nearly the size of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. It had elaborate vaulted ceilings with paintings of couples dancing on them. There were three enormous crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Each corner of the room held a small seating area, but most of the room was an open polished marble floor. There were marble pillars going down the room at necessary intervals. At the far end of the ballroom was a stage. You could tell it was a Christmas ball as there were Christmas trees decorated entirely in silver at every other pillar and garland was strung along the stage. Everything in the room was just so exquisite that Brenna felt horribly under-dressed in her jeans and sweater even though there was nothing going on in the room.

"Mother will call us here probably every day until the ball for dance lessons." Draco warned.

"This is the most beautiful room I've ever seen. I would love to dance in here." Brenna gasped. She started humming to herself and twirling around the room.

Draco sighed, "Girls are just too much." He watched her for a moment longer before leaving the room. Brenna continued dancing with her imaginary partner to the sound of her own voice for a few minutes.

"Miss Malfoy, have your dance lessons begun already?" a voice asked. She stopped suddenly and looked up to see Professor Snape standing in the doorway.

"Now, Professor, I thought we'd put a stop to this Miss Malfoy business," she chided.

"I apologize, Brenna. You do know that one should never dance alone, correct?" he asked. Brenna looked around the room.

"Would you care to dance with me then, sir?" she asked. He walked up slowly.

"What do you already know of ballroom dancing?" he asked.

"Just the rudimentary steps. Hermione's mum tried to teach her in the kitchen one summer, but she didn't know much." Brenna admitted.

"Well then, let's start with the basic four step," he said, moving toward her. He put one hand on her side and took one hand in his own. She put her free hand loosely on the sleeve of his robe. They were standing about as far apart as you could and still dance, but Brenna was keenly aware of the Professor's presence.

"Now, we're going to go back, to the left, forward, and to the right." he said. The walked the box step slowly, Brenna whispering each direction to herself. After they walked the step twice, the Professor charmed a four-count beat into the air. They danced for a couple of minutes to the hum of a cello.

"Since you've got the basic step, let's work on your technique. Trust that your feet now know what to do. You can control them without looking. Looking down is the biggest sign of a rookie dancer. Stand up straight and look either at your partner or elsewhere in the room. Do not look at your feet." Snape instructed. Brenna straightened her back and brought her head up to look at him.

"Like this professor?" she asked.

"Quite, now breath and go with the flow." he said. He altered the music in the room to that it was actual music, not just a beat. They danced in the center of the room for a few more minutes.

"Good, let's try the waltz. Your family's balls are usually heavy on waltzes as it's Lucius' favorite dance." he said. Brenna nodded.

"Now the waltz only has three steps. Like this." he said. He counted out the three and guided her through the steps.

"But sir, we're not back where we started, we turned a little." Brenna pointed out. They were still in the middle of the room, but now they were turned at a different angle.

"Yes, waltzing properly ends up forcing you to spin in circles." Snape replied. "This place turns into some demented sort of track when everyone waltzes. There's usually a circle on the outside of the room as well as one on the inside."

"Then perhaps we should practice this dance in a loop, just so I know what it will be like." Brenna suggested. The Professor broke their dance hold and guided her a few steps only to reform it.

"You are now, approximately, in the inner loop." Severus replied.

"Good. Let's skip the cello and try this to music, professor. I feel like I've got this one." she said confidently.

"Whatever you say, Brenna." he said, waving his wand to start a waltz. They danced and danced until they had completed several laps of the room. It was a little awkward at first, as Brenna didn't quite have the steps down, but she worked it out following the professor's lead. She was satisfied since they were waltzing smoothly. As the song ended, Snape pulled away and bowed to her. She jokingly decided to curtsy. Suddenly there was the sound of applause. They turned to see Narcissa standing at the doorway, clapping madly.

"That was beautiful. We thought you had left, Severus. I was coming down to tell Brenna it was time to get ready for dinner. That was marvelous." she gushed.

"Well, I had best be off. I'm running late now." the professor said, hurrying out of the room. Brenna was still somewhat affected by their waltz and was standing right where the dance had ended.

"Brenna, dear, are you coming upstairs?" Narcissa asked, a little concern evident in her voice. Brenna shook her head a bit and finally walked toward the door.

"Sorry Mother. I don't know what happened. I just kind of spaced out there for a moment," she said.

"Yes, dancing with Severus tends to have that effect on young ladies." Narcissa said quietly, grinning to herself.

The next day she and Draco were back in the ballroom, this time dressed more formally, in standard wizard robes. Narcissa carefully reviewed the waltz with them and had them waltz around the room. Waltzing with Draco was quite different from the same dance with the Potions Master. Draco's movements were not as smooth, so she didn't get caught up into thinking she was just floating. They got through it though. Mother then proceeded to teach her the quickstep and the foxtrot. These were both faster dances that sadly, didn't go as well. She and Draco ended up sprawled on the floor a couple of times. As she hauled herself up for the third time, Brenna wondered what that dance would look like with Professor Snape. Mother finally danced with Draco, trying to show her what it should be like when she found out that Draco was doing the wrong steps. Mother narrowly avoided being dropped to the ground herself. She then dismissed Brenna while she worked with Draco on steps.

Brenna wandered into the family parlor to see their Christmas tree. This parlor was jovially decorated just as the public areas of the house. In the far corner stood a Christmas tree that was clearly different from the others. Where the other trees in the house displayed many polished silver ornaments, this one looked more like a family Christmas tree. Some of the ornaments were clearly old while others held photos. Some looked hand-made. There was also a giant stack of presents going around this tree. Brenna made a mental note to bring her gifts down that evening.

Two days later Christmas Eve was finally upon them. The Malfoys ate their large meal at lunchtime that day, as dinner had to be an extremely quick affair that happened earlier than usual. The house elves were working during the day to have the entryway shining while the family readied themselves upstairs.

Brenna took great care in curling her hair and applying makeup. She spent two hours on those things alone, sitting at her vanity in her fluffy pink bathrobe.

When the beginning of the ball was less than one hour away, Brenna pulled out the gown she had decided to wear that evening. It was green and strapless. A few black flowers were embroidered on the fitted bodice, which had a bow just under her breasts and another before it ended at her hips. The bottom half of the dress puffed out in layers of taffeta. She paired with it a pair of strappy black heels and a stunning silver necklace. It would be cold to wear a strapless gown to a ball if that ball were held anywhere other than her home.

Mother and Father were already downstairs greeting guests, but she and Draco were not to arrive until just time for the ball to begin. Once dressed, Brenna headed downstairs to lean against a stair banister where Draco said you could watch people without being seen. He was already there, dressed in black formal dress robes.

"Have guests begun to arrive yet?" Brenna whispered.

"Oh yes, there are many people already in the ballroom and more arriving all the time." Draco whispered back, scooting over a bit so she could watch as well. Father looked quite dashing in his robes but Mother clearly stole the show in her gown. She was wearing a Victorian inspired ball gown, bustle and all. The front bodice was green silk with black lacework coming off the shoulders to a point below her waist where the green fabric began to bunch. The green was covering two layers of black silk. The layer of green and one layer of black were tied in the back, probably about where Mother's actual behind was, while the final black layer fell to the floor and even had a slight train. The real remarkable part of the dress though was the back. The green fabric floated down the back of the bustle in large waves. The dress was simply breathtaking.

At three minutes to nine exactly, the front doors closed and Draco and Brenna hurried downstairs. Father and Mother led the way to the ballroom with Draco and Brenna behind them. When the were standing at the edge of a U of people, Lucius dropped Narcissa's arm, which was the cue for Draco to move to stand beside Father while Brenna stood beside Mother.

"Welcome, honored guests. We are very pleased that you could all be with us tonight. Please, enjoy yourselves." Lucius said. The small orchestra set up on the stage immediately began to play. It was a waltz. Brenna resisted the urge to giggle. Father whisked Mother away to the dance floor. Draco went over and asked Pansy to dance. Brenna was secretly glad he didn't ask her. They had been forced to dance together for days, and he was not that good at it.

"May I have this dance?" she heard. Brenna turned to see Theo Nott standing at her side, his hand extended. Brenna smiled, taking his hand and allowing him to steer her onto the dance floor. Theo was a better dancer than Draco, though not by much.

Brenna ended up dancing with every other young man there, and some of the older men as well. She was sad to note that Draco really was the best dancer in their age group. She felt a twinge of jealousy as she saw the Potions Master dance around the room with a host of beautiful witches, including her mother. He had not danced with her yet or even come near. For hours he evaded her. Finally, Brenna had grown tired of dancing and taken refuge in one of the seating areas. Most of the families whose children Brenna knew had left, returning to spend Christmas at their own homes. It was nearly midnight, which Brenna knew was the time at which the ball ended. Father was talking to the Minister and a group of gentlemen. Mother was listening to another witch prattle on near the punch bowl. Draco was dancing with a witch who could only be described as a cougar. There were only a few couples turning on the floor. The song ended and the orchestra leader turned to address the room.

"As it's nearing a merry Christmas, we would like to invite everyone to the floor for the final dance of the evening." the conductor said before turning back toward the group. They started to play a very slow waltz.

"Why are you sitting down, Brenna?" a silky voice asked. Brenna looked up to see Professor Snape standing over her.

"I've danced with everyone here except you, professor," she said.

"As have I. Would you care to join me for this dance?" he asked, Brenna rose carefully from her chair, took his proffered hand and walked gracefully out to the dance floor. They spun around the room in a slow, mesmerizing waltz, not breaking eye contact even for a moment, as the room seemed to spin around them.

All too soon, the song ended. The professor bowed, and Brenna curtsied. He then did something that surprised her. He brought her hand to his mouth briefly, wished her a happy Christmas, and disappeared. Brenna stood, lost in a sleepy haze, watching the few remaining guests slip out the doors.

Finally, she felt Draco give her arm a little pull. "Come on, sleepyhead." he whispered. Brenna followed him all the way upstairs before they parted at their bedrooms.

She was so tired. It was all Brenna could do to wash her face and change into pajamas before collapsing in her bed. It had been a wonderful evening, culminating in a wonderful dance with the best dancer in the room who happened to be her Potions instructor. Her heart did its own little dance, which she quickly squashed. He was her professor and that was all. She mumbled this to herself a few times before falling asleep.

AN: Dun dun dun….. Rooooooomance!

Brenna's dress

.

Narcissa's dress

..contest.


	14. Chapter 14 NEWTs & Graduation

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 14- NEWTs and Graduation

Christmas morning came slowly at the Malfoy house, as they were all still tired from the ball. Brenna got up around ten and climbed straight in the shower. She still was having trouble wrapping her head around the attraction she felt for the Potions Master. Sometimes it was easier to think and process under a spray of warm water.

While washing her hair thoroughly Brenna listed all of his faults to herself- he's practically middle aged, he's not a handsome prince, he has a tendency to be very mean, he was very mean to her up until this year, he never wears anything that isn't black or white, his hair looks greasy, he's her professor, and he's a friend of Father's. She went on and on. By the time she was finished showering, Brenna was convinced that she only appreciated the Potions Master's dancing abilities.

She dressed casually in jeans and a sweatshirt before she headed down to Christmas brunch. Compared to how the family generally looked, the Malfoys were decidedly more casual today. Draco stumbled into the dining room wearing sweat pants and a long-sleeved tee shirt. Mother wore dress pants and a sweater. Father was wearing his usual attire, but he'd neglected to button the top button and tuck in his shirt. They dug in at brunch, as dinner was a long time ago and unusually light because of the ball.

After brunch they had perked up a bit and they trooped downstairs to open gifts. The entryway was no longer sparkling after having a hundred or more witches and wizards tromp through it, but it would be clean again before too long. The family parlor was still bursting with Christmas cheer. Draco and Brenna set themselves to the task of separating the presents under the tree, piling them near each person's usual seat. When they finished they each sat down to their own piles of gifts.

Brenna received a book on etiquette and high society from Draco. Mother and Father gave her a new pair of gloves, a scarf and a hat. She also received several large boxes of gardening supplies- her own personal gardening tools, monogrammed smocks, hats, kneeling pad, watering can and more.

"Wow! Thank you Draco. Thank you Father and Mother." Brenna said. Mother and Father were looking very pleased with the gifts they'd received, and Draco was in awe over something in a small box.

"What are you looking at Draco?" Brenna asked.

"Did you really? Really, Father?" Draco asked, looking at Father gleefully.

"Yes, they're in your room as we speak. The house elves set them up during brunch." Father responded. He and Mother were both laughing. Draco sped out of the room, and Brenna finally got a peek at what was in the box. It was a photo of a drum set.

"Yours comes with more too, Brenna. When spring comes, we're going to set up a garden space just for you where you may grow anything you'd like." Mother said.

"My own garden? Really? Oh thank you, Mother. Thank you Father," she said, hugging them both. She gathered up the rest of her gifts carrying them upstairs. She kept thinking of all the wonderful plants she was going to grow.

The rest of Christmas day was spent relaxing and enjoying the gifts they had received before the formal Christmas dinner. In the middle of the afternoon, Brenna was trying on all of her different gardening smocks when she got the idea of going to show Mother how well they fit. She looked all over the second floor and in the family parlor before she heard Mother's voice in the Ladies parlor. She stepped through the doorway. Mother was indeed in there, but she was not alone. A woman sat across the room. Her hair was black and a little untamed looking. Her clothes were regal and black. Unfortunately, this was someone Brenna recognized.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Mother. I didn't realize you had company." Brenna said quickly, ducking back out the door and hoping to avoid the current guest.

"Brenna, stop. Come in here." Mother said. Brenna obediently stepped back into the room. "Brenna, this is my sister, your Aunt Bella."

Brenna was familiar with Bellatrix Lestrange, nee Black. This particular relative had tried on several occasions to kill her and her friends. She new that Narcissa Malfoy was originally a Black from her days spent at Grimmauld Place. It had never really occurred to her though, that the evil witch who was currently advancing on her was now her aunt.

"My my, the elusive kidnapped daughter. Cissy she looks quite like you. I suppose you are training her in the Pureblooded way of doing things." Bella said staring into Brenna's eyes while speaking to Mother.

"Of course, Bella. She's quite the quick study." Mother said. Brenna was scared to move.

"Do not be afraid of me, niece. I will not harm you.," she said, running a long finger down the side of Brenna's face. Brenna held in a shudder. She would not appear weak in front of her aunt. "Sit, child, have tea with us."

Brenna sat on the couch with her mother, watching Aunt Bella from across the room. The witch had not done anything objectionable yet, but it was clear she was not completely sane. Aunt Bella stayed for dinner with the family, which was an awkward experience. It was clear that no one was particularly fond of dear Aunt Bella. Fortunately, she left shortly after dinner. Brenna and Draco high tailed it up to Draco's room.

"Merlin, that woman is scary." Draco said, flinging himself on the bed.

"What, dear, sweet, Aunt Bella Le-Crazy?" Brenna said jovially. Now that the woman was gone it felt safe to joke about it. She kept forgetting why she found the woman so scary to begin with.

"Yeah. Fortunately we only see her on Christmas. Father doesn't like her, so she doesn't come around much other than that." Draco said.

"The fact that she has been in Azkaban for most of our lives and is now living on the run rather helps that too." Brenna replied, sitting backwards in Draco's desk chair.

"That too. Apparently she wasn't too crazy until she got thrown in the slammer. Mother has fond memories of her sisters from childhood." Draco said.

"Have you ever met Aunt Andromeda?" Brenna asked.

"No. Andromeda Tonks has been disowned for years. I've seen our cousin though, from a distance, a bit strange she is." Draco said. Brenna laughed. Tonks is indeed a bit strange, but not in at all the same way as Aunt Bella is a bit strange. Part of her rather missed dinners at Grimmauld Place, watching Tonks change her appearance just for her and Ginny's amusement.

"She is a little odd, but she's very funny." Brenna said.

"You've met her?" Draco asked, surprised.

"Hermione met her." Brenna replied vaguely, "but I don't really want to talk about it." Draco looked hopeful for a moment before clamming up. She had expected him to put up a bit of a fight. As much as she loved her family, Brenna couldn't talk about the Order around them. It was very odd to have a piece of her old life that she couldn't share even with her family.

Brenna vowed to ask Professor Snape about joining the Order after graduation.

The rest of Christmas vacation passed in a blur and soon Brenna and Draco were back on the Hogwarts Express ready to finish up their education.

For 7th years, the part of the year left after Christmas break is spent in frantic study mode. Classes continue, as does homework, but all free time becomes consumed in study. Draco and Brenna's normally very social group of friends became a group of study buddies. They were regulars at a table in the library. Brenna even saw Harry & Ron studying a few times.

NEWTs began a two weeks before the end of the year. Because of the nastily exhausting nature of NEWT exams, 7th years took no more than two of them a day. After an exam they would celebrate, relax, and prepare for the next exam. Towards the end of exams there was much more celebrating going on as 7th years became somewhat giddy from exam stress, spring fever, and a growing amount of free time.

People began to get excited about their post-graduation pursuits. She heard that Harry and Ron were accepted into Auror training. Daphne was going to work for her father at Gringotts. Many of the Slytherins had relatives getting them positions in various agencies. Father wrote saying he had positions in the Ministry for her and Draco, but he wouldn't tell them what until after graduation. She was a little disappointed that she was going to work in the Ministry. Brenna didn't know what she wanted to do, but climbing the corporate ladder was not it. Draco wasn't exactly thrilled either, but he would cope.

Brenna went to see Professor Snape after she finished her last NEWT.

"Miss Malfoy, what do you need?" he asked as she came into his office. She shut the door behind her, checking to make sure it shut completely.

"Professor, can I speak to you in strict confidence? As a friend of the family, not as my Potions professor?" she asked. Professor Snape looked at her and fired a locking spell at the door.

"What's wrong, Brenna?" he asked, sitting and gesturing for her to do the same.

"Do you know what my father has planned for me?" she asked, nervously biting her lower lip.

"I do, but I am sworn not to tell you." he replied simply, pinching the bridge of his nose. Brenna had learned that this was something the professor did when he was stressed. It was then that she noticed the stacks of exams on his desk.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you. I can see that you are very busy. I'll come back." she prattled, moving to leave rapidly.

"Brenna, sit down. I needed a break from grading anyway," he said. Brenna sat nervously. Snape conjured two glasses from his wand and pulled a bottle of Firewhiskey from his desk. He filled each glass to the halfway point and pushed one at Brenna. "Here. I know I need this, and you look as though you could use one as well."

"Will I like what he chose?" Brenna asked, reverting to their earlier conversation. She picked up the glass and sipped daintily from it. She had snuck drinks occasionally at home, but she'd never had this much before. It was nerve-wracking as well to drink in front of her professor.

"I don't think so, but it's a very good position, especially for someone who just finished school. I knew Lucius had ambitions of you becoming the next Minister of Magic, but I suppose he envisions it happening in the next ten years. What do you want to do, Brenna?" the dark wizard asked. Brenna took a big drink from her glass, praying that it give her the courage she needed.

"I want to join the Order," she said, hoping it sounded calm. Professor Snape didn't say anything for a moment.

"Have you considered this seriously?" he asked. Brenna considered it a plus since he wasn't laughing and he didn't appear to be angry.

"I've been thinking about it since Christmas. I recognize that it's dangerous, but I want to be a part of something."

"A part of something or a part of the Order?" he asked.

"A part of the Order." she clarified. He looked at her skeptically.

"Let me just tell you something before you make your decision. Right now, no one really knows how the war will end. I have a hand in both baskets, so I will be fine either way so long as my double life is never discovered. I pass the right amount of information back and forth to keep myself important to both sides. As a member of the Malfoy family you are expected to subscribe to the belief system of the Dark Lord. If you join the Order and things to not end well for that particular organization, you will be killed. There will be nothing that your father or I can do about it. If the Order wins the war you will be safe, but your family may suffer for your father's allegiences. Make no mistake in that. Changing sides would mean that you will meet the opposite end of the rest of your family no matter how the war ends." he said quietly.

"Professor I have to fight for what I think is right. I would like to join the Order." she said.

"I will speak to Albus about it, but he's not even planning on letting Potter or Weasley join before the end of the summer. He says they just aren't mature enough to handle it."

"They probably aren't, but surely you aren't comparing me to Harry and Ron." Brenna replied.

"If he approves it, I'll take you with me to the next meeting." Snape said, leaning back in his chair.

"Professor, do you think the Light will win the war?" she asked as he finished his drink.

"Brenna if you mention a word of this conversation to a soul outside this room I'll nail you upside-down to the door, but yes, I believe the Order will win this." Snape said. He put the glass down. "Now go before I change my mind about speaking to Albus on your behalf." he replied.

Brenna heard nothing from him before graduation, though she trusted that he had not forgotten. Graduation was a happy affair on the grounds. Families came to Hogwarts and celebrated with their children the end of their official schooling. Brenna celebrated as heartily as the others. At the end of the day, Draco and Brenna celebrated by running to Hogsmeade and apparating home alone.

They arrived home to find that the doors to the ballroom were once again open. They wandered down the hall to investigate. The room was shining again, this time decorated in green, silver, and white.

"I see you found your surprise." Father said. He and Mother had just arrived.

"What's going on?" Draco asked.

"We're throwing a party tomorrow night to celebrate your graduation." Narcissa said. "The invitations have been out for weeks."

"Tomorrow night?" Draco asked, incredulously.

"Tomorrow night!" Brenna cheered.

"Yes, and at your request Brenna we'll have more than ballroom dancing there. There will be Latin dances and American style ballroom as well." Narcissa said. Brenna had become quite the dancing aficionado courtesy of evening bursts of dance in the girls dormitories. Everyone knew how to do different dances, so they would teach each other and practice.

"What does that even mean?" Draco asked.

"Cha cha, salsa, meringue, tango, jive, and swing!" Brenna cheered, jumping.

"You may have trouble finding someone who can keep up with you on those." Draco said. He'd seen those dances before but had no idea how to do them.

"Yes, I'm afraid you may have to dance with Severus for those. No one else will know what to do." Narcissa said.

"How does Professor Snape know how to dance so well?" Brenna asked.

"His mother was a ballroom dance instructor. He's been doing all those dances since he could walk." Narcissa replied. "The rest of us just fumble through it."

"I'm so excited!" Brenna shouted, hugging her parents. Her face suddenly fell, "What will I wear?"

"You've both got new outfits lying on your beds." Lucius said. The two siblings looked at each other and raced upstairs.

Brenna cheered when she saw her dress. Draco was well pleased with his new suit as well.

AN: I'm really into Dancing with the Stars. Can you tell?


	15. Chapter 15 A Garden & Two Tempers

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 15 A Garden and Two Tempers

The next morning, Brenna went outside to find a fenced off area where there was just lawn before. The sign on the short wooden fence said Brenna's Garden. She walked through her garden area for a while trying to decide what to grow there. She wanted it to be useful, but not deadly. She liked the idea of growing things that people would need or be able to use, but Herbology classes had been regular reminders that plants weren't all friendly. Brenna decided she would grow potions ingredients. She started with the basic ingredients, things that had been on the Potions supply list since first year. She then drew out how the garden would look. She had lots of room, so she decided to add a few more complex ingredient plants just to see how she could handle them. She listed off each of the plants she would order and the quantity for the allotted space.

She headed back inside through the front doors just a bit early for lunch to learn that Severus Snape had arrived. Apparently he would be staying with them until the following afternoon. Brenna found him in the second floor sitting room, reading a book. Brenna entered and shut the door quietly behind her. He didn't look up. She moved and sat near him on the sofa.

"Good morning, Brenna." he said, finally looking up at her.

"Good morning Professor." she replied cheerily. She held in her hand the notebook she'd drawn her garden plan in, and she itched to show it to him.

"Now you made such a big fuss when I called you Miss Malfoy, saying I didn't address anyone else in that terminology. You are no longer my student, so I think you may now call me Severus as your parents do." he chided.

"Alright, good morning, Severus." she said, not skipping a beat.

"I trust you want me for something, since you paraded in here, closed the door, and sat down beside me when there are so many other seats in the room." he said. Brenna nodded enthusiastically.

"I wanted to show you this." she said, handing him the diagram. Severus studied it for a moment before looking at it again.

"What am I looking at?" he asked.

"That's how I'm thinking about laying out my garden. Do you think it will work?" she asked.

"You're going to grow potions ingredients in your garden?" he asked.

"Yes. Now, do you think that will work?" she asked.

"I don't believe they'll have any adverse reactions when planted in this arrangement. I didn't know you were interested in growing ingredient plants."

"Well I wanted to grow something useful, but nothing as dangerous or time consuming as the plants we studied in Herbology." Brenna said.

"Yes, Pomona does make odd choices in her curriculum. She takes many of the plants that we need for infirmary supplies and turns them into class assignments. It's the only way she could harvest in the quantities needed while still teaching classes. This is a good selection of plants considering you'll be working in the Ministry as well." Severus replied. He handed her the notebook. Brenna still looked at him, "I presume there's something else?"

"Have you spoken to Professor Dumbledore?" she asked.

"Yes, that's why I'm staying here tonight rather than leaving. You'll be coming with me tomorrow afternoon. Do not tell your family where we are going. I told them I wanted to show you something, which is now no longer a lie. We will go to the meeting, have a short side trip, and I will return you here before nightfall." the professor explained.

"Oh thank you. I'm glad you're coming to the party tonight as well. It will be nice to have someone to dance with," she said.

"I expect you will have no shortage of dance partners," he said snarkily, returning to his book.

"Yes, but none of them are as good as you." she said just before leaving the room.

Severus looked up and sighed, shaking his head. Somewhere they must pull Malfoy women aside and teach them how to make a dramatic entrance and a dramatic exit.

At lunch, Lucius announced that Brenna and Draco would both be starting work at the Ministry after one week of respite. Brenna would be serving as an assistant to the Minister. She would keep track of his schedule and see to his correspondence and visitors. Draco would be working in the Department of Justice. He would be serving as a secretary for several Aurors. Clearly, Lucius aimed to have his daughter Minister of Magic and his son on the Wizengamut before long. Neither sibling was pleased, but they thanked him and shut their mouths obediently, knowing that arguing would be useless. As with Christmas Eve, lunch was a larger affair than custom due to the party. This party started at eight, so dinner was going to be a very quick affair.

Brenna started getting ready soon after lunch. She had to be more beautiful than her mother this evening. It was clear from the last ball that that was going to take some effort. She asked Smocky the house elf to bring her dinner to her room. That way she could eat quickly and return to getting ready. She had just gotten out of the shower and brushed her hair when Smocky delivered a tray with a chicken salad sandwich on it.

"Thank you, Smocky." Brenna said. She decided not to eat until she finished her hair.

**In the dining room**

Lucius, Narcissa, Draco, and Severus had assembled for dinner. Chicken salad sandwiches were served. Lucius immediately snapped his fingers. A house elf appeared at his side.

"Why did you serve dinner? My daughter has not arrived yet." Lucius ordered. The house elf trembled a bit.

"Miss Brenna asked to have dinner in her room this evening. Smocky has served her there." the elf replied.

"You will go up to her room and take that food back. Tell her she must eat in the dining room with her family on my orders." Lucius said. He was puffed up like an angry animal.

"Lucius, you really shouldn't do that. Just let her have dinner in her room this time. You don't understand what it's like having a young lady in the family. She must look perfect tonight, and that takes time." Narcissa said. "She probably wasn't going to eat anyway."

"She will eat. My daughter will not starve herself." he ordered, still angry.

"Father, you really don't want to make her angry. I've seen it, and it's not pretty." Draco warned. Severus and Draco both knew she was irritated with her job assignment but had bit her tongue. This might just push her temper over the edge. Unfortunately, Brenna inherited her temper from her father.

"I don't care if she gets angry. She will eat dinner down here with the rest of us." Lucius ordered. He turned to the elf, "What are you waiting for? Go!"

**Back with Brenna**

Brenna had just finished pinning her hair into an elaborate and perfect bun, which she spelled into place when a house elf appeared and picked up her sandwich tray.

"Oh, please leave that. I haven't even touched it yet," she requested. The elf turned toward her fearfully.

"Smocky is sorry, miss, but master says miss is not to eat in her room. Master says miss is to eat in the dining room with everyone else on his orders, miss. Smocky has to take the tray now." the elf squeaked before disappearing.

_Order_ her. What right did he have to order her to do anything? She was half tempted to skip dinner entirely, but she knew she'd be starving later if she did.

First she can't have a job she enjoys; now she can't even take her dinner in her room. This was ridiculous, and she was angry. She looked down at what she was wearing- nothing but a thong under her pink bathrobe. She tightened the bathrobe around her and stomped downstairs, slamming the door to her room for good measure.

**In the dining room**

The elf quickly placed a sandwich and water at Brenna's place before disappearing. They heard a door slam upstairs. Narcissa winced, as did Severus. Draco was rather interested to see his sister's wrath unleashed on someone else for a change. There was a roar of frustration and anger on the stairs. In a moment, Brenna stood in the doorway, seething with anger. Draco had to bite back a little snicker. It was unusual for so much anger to come bundle up in a small, pink fuzzy package. Brenna glared at her father for a moment.

"You ORDERED?" she said, pining him with a glare worthy of Severus himself.

"Brenna Honoria Malfoy, you will sit down and eat that entire sandwich." Lucius commanded, only a little deflated. Brenna glared at him for a moment longer before turning and marching back to her seat at the table. She flopped angrily into her seat and began taking quick and rather large bites from her sandwich, continuing to glare at Lucius. When she finished the last bite, she drained her water glass quickly and went to storm out of the room.

"Young lady if that's the way you're going to behave, you are not allowed to attend the party this evening." Lucius declared. Narcissa and Draco looked at him shocked.

"Fine." Brenna said bitterly before fleeing the room. They heard a door upstairs slam again. Narcissa stood up and smacked her husband roughly on the back of the head.

"You will not take this dance away from her just because she's angry with you. I'm going to go tell her she may continue getting ready before she does something irreversibly bad to that dress." Narcissa said, storming out of the room herself.

Brenna stormed up to her room, her vision blurred by tears. She ripped her hair down before collapsing into a sobbing pile on her bed. She cried for a few minutes before she felt Mother sit down beside her on the bed.

"Shush, darling, come here." Narcissa said gently. Brenna raised her head and hugged her mother tightly, crying into her shoulder. "It's okay. You can still go to the party. Your father just doesn't know how to live with a young lady. You didn't do anything wrong, sweetheart. Don't cry."

"Can I really go to the party?" Brenna asked, still crying.

"Yes dear, You can go to the party." Narcissa said.

"Oh but it's too late. I've pulled my hair down, and now my face is all blotchy and my eyes are swollen." she cried. It was a fairly accurate assessment. Narcissa kissed her daughter's forehead lovingly.

"I'll help you. You go blow your nose, brush your teeth, and wash your face while I go put my dress on. We'll have you looking gorgeous before that ball begins." Mother said. The two women go up.

"Thank you, Mother." Brenna said, moving toward her bathroom. Her mother headed out the door.

While Brenna was cleaning up, Narcissa did put her dress on. She also put on her own makeup magically and headed back to the dining room. She looked pointedly at her husband.

"You'll have to greet guests on your own this evening. I'll be helping your daughter get ready," she said before turning on her heel and walking out of the room.

"Women! This is unbelievable." Lucius grumbled. Severus and Draco declined to comment.

Narcissa went back upstairs to find Brenna back at her vanity trying to put her hair back up.

Brenna noticed her mother in a sleeveless black dress with many ruffles stand behind her and use her wand to slowly recreate the beautiful bun Brenna had destroyed. Her mother's version looked even tidier in the back. They managed to have her makeup done and her dress on before it was time for the ball. She merely had to put on her black stiletto heels and come downstairs.

Draco knocked on the door when it was time to go downstairs. Mother answered it.

"She's almost ready. Wait for her." she said, touching his cheek lightly before she headed downstairs to enter with Lucius. Draco opened the door to watch his sister putting on her second shoe.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Oh yes. Father dearest has made me even more determined to have a fantastic time at this party." she said, flashing him a gorgeous smile. When she walked over toward him, Draco noticed her dress and the complete effect.

"You're stunning." he said. She smiled at him.

"You look quite dashing yourself, little brother," she said, leading the way out of the room.

AN: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. I apologize for those of you leaving constructive criticism if it appears that I don't take it. I assure you I read every review. I am writing this story well ahead of what I post here. I was this far in the story before I posted it at all, and I'm currently working on Chapter 29. It looks like we're currently a little less than halfway through this story.

More dresses mean more links.

Here's Narcissa's dress (give or take a little)

/pictures/g-pic-Lola___Ina_Black_Prom_

And this one is Brenna's

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	16. Chapter 16 A Party & A Connection

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 16- A Party & A Connection

Brenna led the way down the marble staircase but Draco linked arms with her before they entered the ballroom. He was wearing a very professional looking black suit with a green vest and tie. Brenna was wearing a black spaghetti strap dress with pink flowers around the bodice and a layer of pink fabric at the bottom. Her favorite part of the dress was that it was cut on a slant, perfect for Latin dancing.

They were introduced and burst through the ballroom doors to a round of applause. There were at least as many people at this party as there were at the Christmas ball. The difference was that more of their friends were invited to this party. The dancing started with a fast waltz. Brenna grabbed Blaise to be her partner while Draco invited Pansy to the dance floor. The other followed in turn, filling in the standard waltz circles. Severus invited Mother to dance, somehow sensing that she didn't want to dance with Father at that moment. After a round of waltz the band started playing a salsa. Brenna ran over and borrowed the professor.

"Sorry Mother, but it's my turn now," she said. She happily danced the salsa with her former Potions professor. It was fabulous dancing with someone who knew how to do it. She couldn't profess that she danced extraordinarily well, but she danced better than anyone but him. It was nice too to be able to sit back and let someone else lead.

She kept Severus as her partner for the swing dance that followed. For swing, Severus discarded his robe, saying it was too difficult and dangerous to flip her and him around with the robe on. Brenna vaguely remembered that he was also raised as a Muggle. She laughed when she saw all the other women staring at them in wonder.

"I think everyone wants to dance with you, Severus," she said, grinning.

"Well, they can't as long as I'm dancing with you," he replied simply, spinning her around again.

She found something else she liked about dancing with Severus. He held her closer when they danced that Professor Snape did. Professor Snape danced with her about as far from his person as he could while Severus held on to her like a man. It made her feel even more beautiful, which made her smile larger.

After a few dances the band switched back to basic ballroom, so Brenna decided to let Severus have a break. He went off to chat with another wizard while she found her school girlfriends.

"Brenna, I can't believe you invited Professor Snape to your party!" Daphne gasped.

"Severus is an old family friend who just happens to teach at Hogwarts." Brenna replied, taking a drink from her punch cup. "He also happens to be a divine dancer in case you hadn't noticed."

"Oh we noticed. We're thinking that Milly should go ask him to dance." Pansy said.

"There's no way I could dance with Professor Snape. You're so brave, Brenna." Milly said, practically shaking in her shoes.

"Oh come on, he's not that scary. He was the one who first taught me to dance." Brenna said. The girls gasped as she had expected them to.

The band started to play a jive song, so Brenna ran to grab Severus and drag him to the floor.

"Merlin, Brenna. You're going to wear me out." he said as she drug him out onto the floor. He'd barely had enough time to catch his breath.

"Come on, Severus. The jive is too much fun to pass up." she said, already hopping. They jumped and bounced around the floor for a few minutes before the band started playing a foxtrot and they stepped off the floor again.

When the band started playing a cha cha, Brenna remembered Severus' objections and grabbed Theo for the dance. He consented to letting her drag him onto the dance floor, but he could not get into all the booty shaking of the cha cha, even with Brenna moving her hips dramatically or using her hands to move his.

A waltz was played next, and Theo was much more comfortable demonstrating that he sort of knew how to waltz. The following song was a tango, and Brenna turned around to find Severus standing right behind her, his hand already extended. As they danced across the floor again, Brenna couldn't resist the urge to poke at him a bit.

"I thought you were tired," she said, smiling at him.

"I said you were wearing me out. That doesn't mean I wanted to watch you dance with someone else." he replied forcefully, spinning her a little more roughly than usual.

"Jealous much?" she asked.

"No, I just don't often get the chance to do these dances, and you're the only one here who is competent enough in them to dance with me." he said, pulling her closer to him. Suddenly Brenna didn't feel so comfortable anymore.

"Severus, could you chill out a bit? You're kind of hurting me," she said. She could feel the buttons from his robe pressing into her skin. All night as she danced with him she had felt the same mesmerized, floating state, but she was not feeling that at all now.

"Sorry," he said quickly, loosening up again. "Besides, your dress is perfect for this dance."

They finished the dance and danced to the next song as well. Brenna was relieved when the happy. floaty feeling returned as they danced to a slow jazz number that she thought was possibly supposed to be swing. Perhaps he was jealous, which meant one thing to Brenna. If he was jealous, he cared.

All too soon the party was over and Brenna was saying goodnight to all of her friends. Severus slipped out into the garden. She said a warm goodnight to Mother and Draco but turned a frosty cheek to Father. She was still unhappy with him. When they all trekked upstairs, Brenna remembered Severus and quietly stepped outside.

He was leaning against the stone balcony railing looking out into the rose garden below. His robe was draped across the railing, and he was breathing deeply

"Thank you for dancing with me tonight." she said, standing beside him. After the closeness of their dancing, it wasn't awkward at all to stand next to him.

"You're very welcome. You are a talented dancer." he replied. They stood in silence for a minute longer.

"I'm sorry you had to witness my little temper issue this afternoon," she said. She refused to call it a temper tantrum.

"It's okay. Lucius is widely known for his temper, which looks a lot like yours." Severus said. "Except he doesn't look nearly as attractive when he's angry." He had meant to think it, but he said it. The odd thing was that he didn't regret it. He peeked at Brenna from the corner of his eye. She wasn't running away, but she wasn't saying anything either.

"Oh Merlin why does this have to be so difficult." he said, running his hand through his hair and sighing. Brenna turned and hoisted herself up to sit on the railing. It put them at almost equal heights, and she was getting rather tired of standing.

"Not everything has to be complicated, Severus. Some things are simple," she said. He turned to look at her.

"Does it not bother you that I'm older than you? That I was your teacher?" he asked.

"Does it bother you that I'm younger than you? That I was your student?" she asked in reply. She knew it was mean to answer a question with a question, but she thought it made her point. He looked at her, moving to stand right in front of her. "For the record, I completely stopped thinking of you as my teacher over six months ago. It's all been different this year."

"Six months ago?" he asked quietly.

Brenna nodded, "Christmas Eve. You made me feel like the most special witch in the world. I had already been seeing you as more of a friend, but that night changed it all again." she said.

Severus leaned forward and kissed her, gently and experimentally. When she kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, he intensified the kiss.

"You are the most special witch in the world, and you look ravishing in that dress, by the way," he whispered before kissing her again. They kissed for a few more minutes before he pulled back and looked at her.

"You know, they played all those waltzes, and we didn't dance to any of them." he remarked.

"Are you seriously telling me that you want to dance again?" she asked, incredulously. He stepped back and held out both arms.

"May I have this dance?" he asked. Brenna used him as support while she hopped off the railings, which was a very tricky feat in stiletto heels. They assume the waltz position and twirled slowly around the balcony. Brenna rested her head against his shoulder and he placed his chin lightly on top of her head.

After a few minutes of twirling, Brenna yawned inadvertently.

"You're tired. I should let you go to bed." Severus said, stopping their dance.

"You should go to bed as well. You can walk with me as far as your room." Brenna suggested, taking his hand and leading him back to the ballroom. Brenna stopped at the door to remove her shoes. Severus looked at her with one raised eyebrow.

"These things are rather uncomfortable, and they make a good deal of noise when you walk through an empty marble room." she explained. They walked slowly through the ballroom, out into the entryway, up the marble staircase and down the guest room corridor. About halfway down, Severus stopped.

"This is my stop." he said, gesturing to the door of the green room.

"Then I shall say good night, Severus Snape." Brenna whispered. She stood on her tip toes to kiss him quickly.

"Goonight, Brenna Malfoy." he whispered huskily. He watched her walk the rest of the way down the corridor and up the stairs before he turned into his room.

Severus readied for bed that night with the taste of her lip-gloss on his lips, wondering how he was going to ask her father if he could date his daughter, who happened to be nearly twenty years his junior.

Brenna entered her room to find Draco lying on her bed in his pajamas. She shook him awake.

"Draco? What are you doing in my bed?" she whispered.

"Waiting for you to come back, of course. I figured if I laid here you'd wake me when you came back. Looks like it worked." Draco yawned.

"But what are you doing here?" she reiterated.

"I wanted to know if you and Severus were going to be a thing now." Draco said. "Are you?"

"I don't know. I like him, and he likes me. We kissed, but I don't know." she replied.

"Well, if he wants to court you seriously, he'll have to ask Father's permission first." Draco said.

"Why would he need Father's permission?" she asked.

"Did you not read about dating and courtship in the etiquette book I got you for Christmas? Merlin, I thought all the girls memorized that chapter." Draco remarked. "Look sis, you'll figure it out. As for me, I'm going to bed." Draco cut through their bathroom to get to his room. Brenna changed out of her dress and into pajamas. She then rooted around until she found the book Draco mentioned. She'd never actually read any of it, since she assumed it was meant as a joke. That night, Brenna curled up in bed with her cat and a book about high society etiquette. She didn't make it very far into the chapter though before she fell asleep.

AN: I'm sorry that none of the links are coming through. I'll try to post them on my profile page for a while. I'm not so good at describing the dresses.


	17. Chapter 17 The Order Meeting

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 17- The Order Meeting

Brenna woke late the next morning. She stretched slowly. Her legs were a bit sore. At that point she remembered all the dancing of the previous evening, which led her to think of Severus and smile. She looked at her book, marked very near the beginning of the chapter and vowed to finish it this morning.

A quick glance at the clock though told her it wouldn't be until after brunch. She hurried through the shower and dressed in jeans and a tank with one of her gardening smocks. She braided her hair and headed downstairs to brunch.

She was surprised to find Severus already there. He was wearing black pants and a crisp white shirt.

"Good morning." he said.

"Morning. We weren't leaving until this afternoon, right?" she asked.

"We need to be there at two o'clock this afternoon." he said. Brenna did the math quickly in her head. That gave her four hours.

"Good, I had a couple of things I wanted to do this morning." she replied.

"What were you planning on doing this morning?" Mother asked as she came into the room dressed in a casual dress.

"Well, I need to do the set-up work in my garden before I can plant anything. I also have something I started last night that I need to finish up." Brenna said.

"We need to order the plants for your garden. It's better to pick them out yourself from a grower, but I'm afraid none of us have time to go with you today." Mother said, "I have to supervise the clean-up from the party and your father will be visiting the Ministry today."

"I could take her this afternoon. I had a few errands to run after I left here anyway. I could just take her with me and return her this evening." Severus said.

"Could you Severus? Oh you would be the perfect one for her to choose plants with anyway as you actually know what they should look like. Thank you, Severus." Mother said. Brenna smiled a little at him, already knowing what the next thing he would say to her was.

"Brenna, we'll leave shortly before two, if that's agreeable to you." he said.

"I will be ready to go." she replied.

Draco walked into the room a few minutes later, wearing jeans, a tee-shirt and a smirk. He looked at Brenna, then at Severus before ordering breakfast. Lucius was the last to arrive. He swooped in dressed in full wizard regalia, ate quickly, and disappeared for the ministry.

Brenna finished next and hurried out to till her garden. Narcissa headed downstairs to start clean-up, while Draco wandered off muttering something about a nap. Severus grabbed the book he'd been reading earlier from his room and headed to the sitting room to read. Severus found the sitting room unusually distracting today as he could see a tiny Brenna out at the edge of Narcissa's gardens hard at work turning the soil in a fenced in patch. He could only presume that was her garden. He watched her for a few minutes before he attempted to read, looking up every page or so to see if she was still there.

About two hours later Brenna was no longer standing in her garden. She was climbing the stone steps up to the sitting room. Her smock was streaked with dirt and sweat, as was her face. She looked a bit red from the exertion. She entered the sitting room and made eye contact with him.

"Two o'clock." she said breathily. She walked straight out of the room.

Brenna felt bad just walking through the room where Severus was reading, but she was hot, thirsty, sweaty, and running a little short on time. She hurried through the room and upstairs where she hopped in the shower again, getting a drink from the shower as well. It was a refreshing shower, though it was brief. Brenna put on lounging clothes, brushed her hair thoroughly and sat down on her bed to finish the chapter.

She was learning a lot about magical high society from this book, even though she was temporarily foregoing everything but the dating and courtship chapter. According to the book there was a clear difference between dating and courtship. Dating was a very brief period of getting to know the other party before a courtship was entered into. Courtship was a time in which a witch and wizard would see each other seriously and exclusively. Courtships usually ended in marriage. Dating could be done at any time, but a courtship required the male to seek the blessing of the female's father first. It was all very interesting and old fashioned, which Brenna liked. She finished the chapter still not knowing if what she and Severus were doing could be called dating or if it wasn't even that, but she had learned a lot about the process she would be expected to comply to before she could marry.

With half an hour left before she had to meet Severus to leave for the meeting, Brenna was standing in her closet trying to choose an outfit. She decided against anything black or green. She thought seeing her wearing Slytherin colors might ruffle some unnecessary feathers at the meeting. Also, if they were going to visit a grower to get her plants it would probably be rather warm there. She finally decided to wear her dirt and stain-proof white pants with a white collared shirt and her sky blue everyday robes. With this she matched a comfortably worn pair of brown dragon hide boots. She quickly put on her Malfoy crest necklace. She wore it nearly every day, and she would need it to purchase plants. She grabbed a thin white scarf from a pile and a pair of chunky sunglasses, braided her hair quickly, and headed downstairs. Severus was waiting for her at the front doors wearing his standard solid black robes.

"Is this acceptable for what we're doing today?" Brenna asked.

"You look lovely." Severus replied quietly. Brenna wrapped the scarf around her hair and put on the sunglasses before smiling at him.

"Ready to go?" she asked. Severus didn't move and stood looking at her quizzically.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Well," she said, " I tend to attract a lot of attention when I go out, so I thought I'd go incognito."

"Oh, because obviously no one is going to notice the woman who looks like an albino fruit fly." Severus said sarcastically. Brenna ditched the sunglasses on a side table.

"I'm not leaving the scarf, so you can just forget about it." she said stubbornly. Severus shook his head and opened the door. They stood on the front porch.

"Okay, what's the real reason for the scarf?" he asked.

"Well, you said Harry and Ron aren't being allowed to join until the end of summer. I figured it would make life easier if they don't recognize me going into or coming from the meeting. It would just cause us unnecessary stress," she explained.

"Whatever you say." Severus said. He held out his elbow for Brenna to take. When she had looped her arm through his, he apparated them both to the street outside Grimmauld Place. Brenna could, of course, already see the building since Hermione had been told of its location, but it was imperative to the keeping of her secret that she arrive with someone via the outside of the house

Severus and Brenna walked into the house, ignoring the shouts of Mrs. Black's portrait. Brenna could see heads of Harry, Ron, and Ginny upstairs. She followed Severus into the house's library. Albus Dumbledore was waiting there. He held a copy of_ Hogwarts: A History_ in one hand.

"Good afternoon, Miss Malfoy." he greeted.

"Good afternoon, Headmaster." she replied.

"We always go to an effort to find a most appropriate book for new members to swear upon. This one was believed to be the best choice for you," the old man said, holding up the book. Brenna laughed; it was a very appropriate choice.

"Now, if you would please place your hand on the book we'll swear you in quickly and be off to the meeting." Albus said. Brenna placed her hand on the book. "Do you, Brenna Malfoy, promise to aid the Order in defeat of the dark wizard known as You-Know-Who?"

"I do." she promised.

"Do you promise to fulfill your duties and assigned tasks as a member? Do you promise to obey directions given to you by myself or the leader of an operation?"

"I do."

"Do you promise to care for your fellow members to the best of your abilities, to risk your own life and limb that others may survive?"

"I do."

"Welcome, Miss Malfoy, to the Order of the Phoenix." Albus said. He placed the book back on a shelf. "Let's proceed to the meeting."

Albus led the way down the hall into the dining room where the rest of the Order was waiting. It had grown immensely since the last time Brenna had seen the Order assembled. No longer was everyone able to sit at the table. Now there was a second row of mismatched chairs along the walls. Severus and Brenna lowered themselves into two of these chairs. Brenna carefully removed her scarf, folded it, and placed it in her lap. She found Molly Weasley staring at her, an obvious look of irritation on her face.

"Albus, you cannot be serious! She's a child and a Malfoy at that!" Molly yelled, pointing rather rudely at Brenna. This caused other members to turn to look at her, suspicious looks gracing their faces. Tonks was the only one who smiled at her.

"Hey, cuz. Welcome to the club." she said cheerily. Brenna smiled at her and nodded. She thought perhaps her best recourse here would be to keep her mouth shut.

"Miss Malfoy has taken the same oath the rest of you did. Severus and I can both vouch for her. Besides, she is soon to start a position that has the potential to help us." Albus said. Many settled down, but some of the old crowd continued to eye her with suspicion. "Molly, I feel the need to point out that she did not come in here and yell about there being Weasley's in the room. Perhaps you should make an effort not to judge." Molly opened and closed her mouth a few times without making a sound before she sat down.

The meeting was an interesting experience. Many members reported information they'd learned at their various posts. Brenna was pleased to note that there were Order members in nearly every office of the Ministry as well as strategically throughout the magical community. Finally, Dumbledore dismissed the main group, calling for a handful of members to stay. Brenna was on the list to receive an assignment.

Her assignment was to keep the Order informed of any Death Eaters or suspected Death Eaters that the Minister met with regularly. She was also to casually check visitors for the Imperius Curse. Lastly, she was to keep tabs on her father and brother. Brenna was given the book of known and suspected Death Eaters to memorize. Fortunately, Brenna had a near photographic memory because that book could not leave Headquarters under any circumstances. By this point, it was nearing dinnertime. Molly bustled about the kitchen preparing dinner for the residents of Grimmauld Place.

Brenna had placed a Quietus charm around her head so she wouldn't hear anything to distract her from learning the information in the book. She had set up the charm so that she would still be able to hear Severus but that was all.

It was interesting reading the book of known and suspected Death Eaters. It wasn't as hard to learn them as she had thought it would be because she already knew most of them. Many had eaten dinner with her family or, at the very least, attended the Christmas Eve ball. It was very interesting reading too, some of the things they were accused of in the book. Because of the charm, she didn't hear Harry, Ron, and Ginny come in. The twins were still present, chatting away, or at least they were when she placed the spell. She could, after all, only hear Severus. He wasn't saying anything, as was normal.

Harry, Ron, and Ginny walked into the dining room after the Order meeting was officially and completely adjourned. They were surprised to see the Potions Master sitting in a chair against one of the sidewalls. He didn't normally stay for long after meetings. They were even more shocked to see Brenna Malfoy sitting in the corner reading from one of the books they were forbidden to touch.

"Mum! What's she doing here?" Ron whined, pointing at Brenna, who was completely oblivious.

"She's a member of the Order now, and she's learning the material necessary for her assignment." Molly responded. She was clearly not happy, but she was being respectful of the Headmaster's decision.

"What's she doing?" Harry asked.

"It's called concentrating, Potter. Perhaps you should try it sometime." Severus sneered. He heard Brenna chuckle and wondered if she had allowed him inside her quietus charm. It was usually advisable to allow someone's voice to penetrate just in case something should change about your surroundings. "Brenna, if you can hear me nod you head." Severus said.

"Yes, I can bloody well hear you, Severus. Now leave me alone so I can learn this book." Brenna responded verbally. Harry, Ron, and Ginny snickered until Snape shot them a glare.

Brenna turned the page to find a photo of her father.

"Bloody chauvanist egomaniac." she said to the picture, poking her father squarely in the nose. "I won't even deign to read your page." She turned to the next page.

Ginny looked at the professor a bit concerned.

"I suspect that means she's on the M's. Brenna is not exactly on friendly terms with her father at the moment." Severus explained.

"Well that was the understatement of the year." Brenna muttered. She continued reading.

Around the time she finished the known Death Eaters and moved on to Suspected Death Eaters and Accomplices. Severus, in the mean time, had struck up a conversation with Tonks. It was like listening to one side of a phone conversation. Severus wasn't one to repeat much vital information, and it sounded as though he was mostly just answering questions. She could pretty easily tune him out.

"Will you be staying for dinner, Severus?" Molly asked, setting the table.

"No." he replied simply.

"Will she?" Molly asked, gesturing over to Brenna.

"No." he replied again. He could tell that Molly wanted more information than that, but he was never too inclined to speak with her. Tonks came over and sat near him. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were engaged in their own conversation at the table, while Remus sat talking with the Weasley twins.

"So that's my cousin. Is she nice?" Tonks asked.

"Most of the time." Severus replied.

"Oh, does that mean she inherited my dear Uncle Lucius' temper?" Tonks asked.

"Oh yes." Severus said. He thought of the flash of temper he had witnessed the day before.

"She's certainly beautiful, like Aunt Narcissa." Tonks said.

"Even more so." Severus replied, looking over at the young woman sitting with her nose buried in a book. Her long, blonde braid fell over her shoulder. He could see her eyes flying back and forth across the page. Her eyes narrowed when she saw something she disliked, and there was the occasional wide-eyed moment when she learned something totally new. He liked the way her lips formed into a soft circle when she was surprised by something.

"Severus Snape, are you dating my cousin?" Tonks asked, indignant.

"Yes, I suppose so." he said, checking to see that Brenna was still engrossed in her book. Tonks saw him turn to look at her.

"She can hear you, can't she?" Tonks asked.

"Yes." he replied.

"But she can't hear me?"

"That's the way it works." Severus replied.

"I was wondering why I was getting even less of an answer than usual. So you're dating my cousin. Do you intend to court her?" Tonks asked.

"Perhaps."

"Perhaps? What kind of an answer is that?"

"The truth, Tonks." he replied.

"Oh, I see. You haven't talked to Lucius yet, have you?"

"No."

"Worried he won't approve of you?"

"A bit."

"Does she understand courting?" Tonks asked.

"I don't know." Severus admitted, keeping a watchful eye on Brenna. She was still absorbing the book at an impossible pace.

"If the stories I've heard of her are correct, she would probably sneak around Lucius to see you anyway if she wants to." Tonks said.

"Probably." Severus replied. He heard Brenna laugh loudly. He wiped around to look at her. "What could you possibly find funny in that thing?" he asked.

"I made the book!" she cheered, holding up the page with her photo on it. At that point she'd roused the attention of the entire group, no doubt waiting to see what the reaction to seeing her own picture in the Death Eater Accomplice book was. Unfortunately for them, she'd already seen her father's page and Severus' page. She had rather expected to see the rest of her family in the book as well. Her page was blank of any suspected activities, so it wasn't very interesting. It was just rather funny to think that she was in the Order and the Death Eater book. Severus was the only other one with that distinct honor.

"I'm afraid you get that qualification by virtue of your last name with this crowd." Severus replied, watching her turn to the next page, which focused on her brother.

"Draco didn't do any of these things," she said quietly. "My brother is not a Death Eater." She looked directly at Severus.

"I know that, but the others consider him a security risk." Severus replied. "Keep reading, I want to get out of here before nightfall." Brenna returned obediently to the book. She skimmed through her mother's page, which was nearly as empty as her own. The Dark Lord didn't keep many women among his ranks, other than her crazy Aunt Bella. The rest of the book was not as difficult despite the fact that it featured a lot of her friends and classmates. Finally, she closed the book, took down the spell, and tilted her head back. Remus took the book from her and reapplied the spells that kept it from being read by non-Order members. Severus was over at her side quickly.

"Are you okay?" he said very quietly.

"I'm fine. There's just too much information in my head right now." she replied. "I need you to write down something for me so that I can forget it."

Severus grabbed a scrap of parchment, quill and ink from the mantle before standing ready to write.

"Okay," he said, "I'm ready."

"1 belladonna, 1 cabbage, 2 daisies, 1 fluxweed, 2 ginger, 1 hellebore, 1 knotgrass, 2 lovage, 1 nettles, 2 peppermint, 1 pomegranate, 1 scurvy-grass, 1 sneezewort, and 1 wormwood." she rattled off. Professor Snape quickly jotted it all down.

"What was that?" Tonks asked.

"My shopping list for later." Brenna replied. "I had it all memorized, but I hadn't counted on having to memorize an entire book this afternoon. It feels much better to clear that from my working memory.

"Alright, let's go." Snape said, tossing her her scarf. He pulled her from her chair by one hand and very nearly dragged her from the kitchen.

"Severus, why are you in such a rush? Slow down." she said as he pulled her down the hallway. He stopped just short of the front stairs.

"Your mind. It's even more amazing than I realized." he said. He moved towards her and kissed her.

"Let's go choose your plants," he said, offering his elbow after they walked out of the house. He apparated them to a large outdoor market.

AN: There you go, a nice long chapter to close out the weekend. Hope you're enjoying it!


	18. Chapter 18 Dinner and Change

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 18 Dinner and Change

Brenna was slightly overwhelmed at the sight of such a large market, but Severus clearly had been here before. He led her confidently to a particular grower about halfway down the market.

"Good evening, Professor Snape. Can I help you with anything today?" a young wizard asked.

"My friend here is in need of seedlings to begin her garden. We want the indicated number of flats of each of these items- the best possible plantings," he said, handing over the list. The worker perused the list.

"It will take me about half an hour to gather all of these plants for you to inspect." he said before hurrying off through racks of plants.

"I take it you've been here before." Brenna said, having finally gathered her wits.

"I come here twice a year to buy supplies for Hogwarts. Usually I buy mature plants ready to harvest because I don't want to fool with growing my own ingredients all summer. You want young plantings that may not have even sprouted yet." he explained. "They will survive the transplantation process better than older plants, but you'll still have to plant them tomorrow. This is the best grower to deal with. They have quality materials and usually get things exactly right. They don't over-inflate their prices either."

They wandered for a while through several different stalls. It was astounding the number of different plants growing here. There were ingredient plants, cooking seasonings, vegetables, flowers, and all a manner of things that could be grown in or above ground, including some plants that were kept in cages or glass cases. They stood for a while examining the hydroponics, as both found that fascinating. All too soon, the young wizard found them to report that he had assembled all of the plantings for inspection at the front of the market.

They headed back to the front of the market where several carts of plantings were waiting, all marked reserved. Severus gestured for Brenna to go and inspect the plantings. She found them all well chosen and in the proper quantities and had them all shipped to Malfoy Manor. She signed the receipt and displayed her family crest as authorization of payment. Finally, she and Severus were off once again.

"What would you like for dinner?" Severus asked her, holding her hand loosely in his own as they walked away from the market.

"Oh, I don't know. You pick." she said.

"How about Italian? I know this great place in London." he suggested. Brenna wrapped her arm around his elbow.

"Sounds good." she replied. He apparated them again, this time to a back alley in London. She could hear the sounds of Muggle London- Muggles bustling in their evening diversions.

"You'll want to transfigure your robe into something more Muggle. It's a Muggle establishment we're going to." Severus instructed, turning his back. He took off his robe and transfigured it into a sport coat. Brenna transfigured hers while it was still on her body. She wasn't so good at guessing proportions any more, not since she's changed bodies. She changed her robes into a peasant tunic. The straps of her camisole showed underneath, and the top was still long enough to fall over her hips.

"Okay, you can turn around now." she said. He didn't really have to turn at all, but it was a very gentlemanly thing to do.

She linked her arm through his, and he led the way out of the alley and around the corner to a very small Italian restaurant. He opened the door for her to walk inside.

"Ah, Signore! You bring a friend tonight!" the host called happily. Brenna was a bit embarrassed, but no one in the restaurant even looked up from his or her meal. "Follow me, Signore and Signorina. Table for two!" The host grabbed two menus and led the way through the restaurant. He put the menus down at a table at the very back of the restaurant. "Signore's favorite table was available for him and his … how you say… ragazza!"

"Thank you, Mario." Severus said, quietly. He pulled out the nearer chair for Brenna before taking the other chair.

"He's certainly very… interesting." Brenna said.

"Yes, he's the owner's son. The others who work here are not so boisterous, and the food is excellent." Severus replied.

A waiter came up to them and wordlessly handed Severus a small menu. Severus looked at it briefly and pointed at something. The waiter scurried away quickly.

"What was that?" Brenna asked.

"I just ordered a bottle of wine." Severus said, perusing his menu casually.

"Oh, red, white or blush?" she asked.

"Red. Why? Do you have a preference?" he asked, thinking it was not too late to change the wine order if they needed to.

"No, I just wanted to make sure I chose something that would go well with it." Brenna responded.

"What are you thinking of having for dinner?" Severus asked.

"I was thinking it has been a very long time since I had a piece of lasagna. Is theirs good?" she asked.

"Divine." Severus responded.

"Then I suppose I no longer need to look at this," she said, closing her menu and placing it at the edge of the table.

The waiter returned a moment later and placed two wine glasses on the table. He then displayed a bottle of wine to Severus. Severus nodded and the waiter poured a very small amount into his glass. Severus tasted it and nodded again. This time the waiter filled his glass and then Brenna's. He set the bottle of wine on the table and noticed the two menus lying flat.

"Are you ready to order?" the waiter asked.

"Yes, we'll both have the lasagna." Severus said.

"Very well." the waiter said, smiling briefly. He collected their menus and disappeared.

Brenna had thought she would have found dinner with Severus to be awkward. She was not accustomed to eating with only one other person. There were frequently guests at Malfoy family dinners, but she was able to eat quietly for most of the meal without having to worry about entertaining anyone. She thought she might feel the need to entertain Severus. This was not the case. Truthfully, it was much like their conversations had been before, except now she could actually question him on things and he would answer. Brenna found herself enjoying dinner very much, though she reflected that after her second glass of wine probably nothing would have been awkward anymore.

The lasagna was indeed divine. Brenna found it very hard to resist the urge to pig out, but it was a very unladylike thing to do. Severus was minding all of his P's and Q's, so she would as well.

When they finished eating, Brenna was still quite full. When the waiter came to collect their dinner plates, he inquired about dessert. Severus looked at Brenna who was looking very full.

"I don't think so, not tonight." he replied. The waiter handed him a small black booklet that Brenna knew contained the bill for their dinner. She didn't want to think about it. The menu had no prices listed and the Muggles were all dressed very nicely, so she knew he'd brought her to an expensive and classy place. Severus tucked a few Muggle bills into the booklet, set it down, and looked at her.

"Ready to go?" he asked. Brenna nodded her head.

"As much as I would love to just stay here. I do need to get up." Brenna said. She rose carefully from her chair. Severus rose from his as well.

"How about a short walk before I take you home?" he suggested.

"That would be great," Brenna replied. She knew her stomach would appreciate a chance to digest before they apparated, and she didn't really want the evening to end yet.

They left the restaurant with Mario yelling goodbyes at them in English and Italian. Severus took her hand and led them off to the right. Brenna found she really liked strolling in downtown London after what she was now assuming was a date. She supposed he wouldn't have taken her somewhere as nice or bought a bottle of wine if he were just taking her on errands. They walked for a few minutes before they circled around to return to the dark alley where they arrived. Brenna was vaguely aware that it was late, as the sun was setting before they even entered the restaurant. She was feeling very tired.

When Severus offered his arm to apparate them back, Brenna shook her head and wrapped her arms around his waist. This was a more romantic but also more comfortable way to apparate. Severus wrapped his long arms around her and apparated them that way.

When they arrived at the front walk of Malfoy Manor, the two stayed hugging for a few seconds long than could be considered necessary. They separated again and Brenna took his arm for the walk up to the house. He stopped her at the front steps.

"This is where I must leave you," he said.

"Thank you for a wonderful day, Severus." Brenna said, turning back to face him. Her arm had slipped to hold his hand.

"The pleasure was all mine. Good night, Brenna." he said, bringing her hand up to kiss the top of it. Brenna felt as though she might faint.

"Good night, Severus." she said, hoping she still sounded composed. He released her hand, so she took that as her cue to walk into the house. She could feel his eyes boring into her back for the few steps up the stairs and through the front door. She heard the pop of him disapparating as she shut the door.

Brenna felt as through she just floated up to the third floor and entered her room. As she suspected, Draco was lying on her bed with Dolce, reading a book.

"Look at you with your big goofy grin. Where have you been all day?" Draco asked.

"With Severus." she replied, flopping onto her bed beside him. "It was the most amazing day, Draco."

"It looks like you certainly enjoyed yourself. If I didn't know Severus, I'd say he slipped you a potion." Draco said, laughing at her. Brenna whapped him playfully. "Okay, okay. He wouldn't do that, I know. Your plants arrived this evening. They're waiting in Mother's greenhouse."

"Oh I've got so much work to do in the morning." Brenna said.

"Well I'll leave you to get to bed then. Goonight, sis." he said, scooting off the bed.

"Goodnight, Draco." Brenna responded.

Brenna settled happily into her bed that night, thinking of her fabulous day. She dreamed of Severus all night. In the morning Brenna woke very early. The sun had only just begun to rise. She hurriedly dressed in her gardening clothes and tied her hair back in a pink bandana. She would need a shower after gardening anyway.

She was the only one in the dining room for the entire time she ate breakfast. She ordered a large, protein heavy meal since she would be spending most of the day planting. She headed out to her garden with a determined expression, ready to get those plants in the ground.

Brenna looked at her diagram and magically cordoned off the different sections of the garden. This was all she would be able to do with her wand. If the plants were put into the ground magically, they would not grow as well.

Dolce followed her to go get the first cart of plantings from the greenhouse. After watching her carefully plant for a few minutes, he wandered off to another part of the garden to nap. Brenna had carefully calculated the optimal number of plants to grow in each portion of the garden, so planting was just a matter of finding the correct seedlings and imbedding them all in the proper section. It took a long time, but she was nearly finished around 11 o'clock. She was ravenous, so she had the house elves bring her lunch early in the garden. Dolce happily chased butterflies while she ate a sandwich. After eating, Brenna hurried to finish up planting and water her garden. It was important to get the plants watered before noon. By half past she had finished watering and stood back to admire her handiwork.

She looked at the sun in the sky. The family was probably finished with lunch by now, and Father had not tried to order her to do anything. Perhaps he had learned. She knew she was gross and badly in need of a shower now. She wiped the sweat off her brow with a dirty hand. She and Dolce were heading toward the house when a house elf popped up beside her.

"Miss, Master is wanting to see you in his office. He says he is needing to see you right away, miss." the house elf said.

"Relax. I'm on my way." she replied. The house elf disappeared. She climbed the steps up to the sitting room. Severus was sitting in there, slumped over with his head resting on his hands.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"I'm not at liberty to talk to you right now." he said. Brenna frowned. Had Father done something?

"Fine, I'll deal with you later, but right now I've got to go talk to my father." she said, continuing through the room. Dolce hopped up on the couch beside Severus.

Brenna took a deep breath and stepped into her father's office for the first time.

Her first impression was that it was larger than she'd imagined. Father had three walls of his office lined with books, including shelves that went around the fireplace. His desk was monsterous and there were two leather chairs in front of it. In the nearest corner there were two chairs and a small bar island. Right now father was sitting at his desk, staring out the window with his chin cupped in one hand. He appeared to be mulling something over.

"You needed to see me, Father?" she asked. Lucius looked up.

"Yes, sit down, please." he said, gesturing to a chair in front of his desk.

"I'll get it dirty, Father." she said, standing beside the chair. She really was quite dirty.

"It's fine, Bren. Just sit." he said. Brenna perched, determined to get as little dirt on the chair as possible. She did not want to give him a reason to be cross with her. Father stared at her for a solid minute. She was becoming a little uncomfortable. He didn't seem angry, but it was odd to be stared at.

"Tell me about Severus." he instructed. Brenna faltered a little. Was this a trap?

"Severus… has been a very good friend to me this year," she said. "He and I have had some very interesting conversations. He has been very helpful as I've been adjusting to my life here." It was all true. It wasn't the whole truth, but it was true.

"Yes, but… how do you feel when you are around Severus?" Father asked. Brenna took a moment to think about it.

"Safe. He makes me feel very safe. Appreciated, especially lately. He always treats me like a lady." she said. Again, it was the truth, but it was just the tip of the iceberg on how Severus made her feel. Lucius sighed.

"Do you have... romantic feelings toward Severus?" he asked. Brenna blushed.

"Father, what is this all about?" she asked. She wasn't comfortable discussing her full feelings for Severus, especially not with a man who had proven he didn't really understand her. Lucius leaned back in his chair and tented his fingers.

"Severus came here this morning. I was expecting him to come talk to me about business, but he came to talk to me about you. He wants my permission to court you." Lucius said. Brenna grinned. Severus wanted to court her!

"Now, my first instinct was to turn him out of the house never to come back again. He's nearly twenty years older than you, for Pete's sake! But I thought I'd see what you had to say first."

"Oh Father! I care about him; I really do. He makes me feel so special and so happy. We can talk about anything. Please, oh please give him your permission." Brenna begged, hopping out of her chair.

"I can see you are rather passionate about this. Do you even know what courtship entails?" Father asked.

"I read about it in the book that Draco got me for Christmas. I know it means that we will see each other exclusively with the idea of getting married some day. I know it means that we will spend a lot of time together." Brenna said.

"Five years. He can court you for as long as five years. At the end of five years time, if you haven't already married, you must decide to marry or end the courtship." Lucius said.

"That seems more than fair, Father." she replied. Five years would be a very long time to see someone without getting married. In five years she would be nearly 24 years old.

"I will grant my permission under three conditions." Lucius said. Brenna locked her knees to prevent herself from jumping for glee. "First, he may never be on the third floor. Second, you may not marry for at least two years. And thirdly, tell him if he ever hurts you I'll kill him personally." Brenna smiled at him. She really wanted to run up and hug him, but she knew he hated the dirt and mud that she was currently covered in.

"Father, I'm going to tell Severus, shower, and then I'm going to come back down here and give you the biggest hug you've ever had in your life." she promised.

"I'm counting on that. Now go tell him before he stresses himself to pieces." Lucius said, "I wasn't exactly nice when I sent him to the sitting room."

"Thank you, Father," she said, exiting the room. She turned the corner into the sitting room. Severus was pacing and holding Dolce. When he saw her, he set the cat down and walked up to her. Brenna trained her face into something that wouldn't quite betray the glee she was feeling bubble up inside of her.

"Well?" Severus asked, his expression clearly nervous. Brenna sighed.

"Severus, I know that I'm smelly, dirty, and desperately in need of a shower which I promise to take in just a moment but I really want a kiss right-" she said. She wasn't even able to finish her sentence before he kissed her soundly. "now," she whispered as they broke apart.

"Did he give us permission?" he asked.

"Of course he did. Though there are three conditions I must tell you about. You are still not allowed to be on the third floor. We cannot marry for at least two years, and he will kill you if you ever hurt me." Brenna said. Severus kissed her again.

"This is wonderful. I feel like celebrating," he said.

"I feel like showering. Give me a few minutes to get cleaned up. You can keep Dolce around if you want, she seems to like you." Brenna said, grinning at him.

Brenna raced upstairs and took the quickest shower she could and still be beautiful and clean. After she hopped out of the shower she poked her head into Draco's room through the other door. He was sitting at his drumset playing, but he stopped when she stuck her head in.

"Severus is officially courting me," she announced, smiling broadly.

"Congratulations. Why are you in here?" he asked. Brenna laughed and ducked back into her room via the bathroom. She threw on her favorite casual dress- one that was black with a ribbon of white around the waist, brushed her hair quickly, magically applied her makeup and ran out the door, putting on her sandals as she hopped down the stairs.

She hurried back to the sitting room.

"Give me one more minute. I promised Father I'd do something," she said before bursting back into Lucius' office. He was leaning up against the other side of the desk. Brenna hurried and threw herself into his arms. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," she said, giving him the warmest hug she could before heading back out the door.

Severus was still waiting for her in the sitting room when she flew in like a blond whirlwind. Suddenly, he was holding her close and staring deeply into her eyes as they broke a kiss.

"So what do you want to do now?" she asked.

"I know the perfect place to go," he replied. "Let me surprise you." They hurried downstairs and out to the front porch where they disapparated.

Brenna knew she had the perfect man when the reappeared in front of a 24-hour dance club where you could hear the bass from the front door.

AN: Sorry for leaving you guys for a week. In all fairness, it was an utterly crazy week. I neglected everything. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and stick around for chapter 19.


	19. Chapter 19 Job Training

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter19- Job Training

Brenna returned home that night exhausted. She'd had an early start, worked hard in the garden all day, danced well into the evening, and had a bite to eat again with Severus. She was thankful that she wasn't working yet; it wouldn't be possible to keep up this pace while working full time in an office.

"Is it my turn to say that you're wearing me out?" Brenna asked as they arrived again at Malfoy Manor.

"If it makes you feel better, I won't be able to visit you tomorrow." he replied.

"Why? What are you doing?" she asked.

"I have a long day of grading ahead of me. I didn't finish the first through third year final exams- just the fourth and fifth years. Grades are due at Hogwarts by midnight tomorrow." he explained.

"Oh, when will I see you again?" she asked.

"Soon, very soon." he said. They wrapped their arms around each other and stood that way for several minutes. Eventually they said goodnight and parted company.

The next morning Brenna woke feeling quite refreshed. She dressed casually and walked downstairs for breakfast. Everyone else was already there because she'd slept in a little.

"Draco, Brenna, you will be accompanying me to the Ministry tomorrow so that you can receive some job training." Father said. "You will need to get up early and dress properly. None of this Muggle clothing you wear around the house." He swooped out of the room.

"Never mind your father. He's not in the best of moods today." Mother said. "He has to meet with some very trying people today. He's very happy that both of you are going to work at the Ministry. It is a great honor for someone who so recently finished school."

Brenna and Draco both sat, quietly eating their breakfasts.

"Brenna, I hear congratulations are in order. Your father told me that Severus is courting you now. He's a fine choice," she said, trying to fill the silence.

"Thank you, Mother." Brenna replied.

"I remember when your father was courting me. It was such a good time. I lived with my family, and my father didn't think it appropriate for his daughters to work. We were at the family estate nearly all the time. The only way to get out on a regular basis was to be courted by someone or to accompany Mother or Father on their errands." Narcissa said, a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Well, I really need to go see to my plants." Brenna said, rising abruptly from the table. Draco mumbled something about music, and both siblings hurried from the room, not keen on hearing more of their mother's stories.

Brenna took her time tending to her garden. She weeded everything before giving the plants a thorough watering, humming as she walked around with her watering can. It would be sad not to see Severus all day, but Brenna was rather glad of a day to relax. She'd not really had a chance to catch her breath since her NEWTs started.

She walked through the gardens until it was time to head into the house to clean up for lunch. She showered, dressed, and made it to the dining room in time for lunch. Lunch was a quiet affair. Father was still gone.

Brenna spent the afternoon playing with Dolce in her room and reading. She could hear Draco in his room, playing rather angry guitar. She decided to leave him alone.

She dressed for dinner wondering if Father was bringing home any company tonight. She got her answer quickly- Father hadn't even returned for dinner. In the evening she played Exploding Snap with Draco in the parlor. She could tell he was angry about something, but he refused to come out with it.

Brenna went to bed that night thinking that days at home without Severus or something to do were very boring. She wondered if she'd even be able to sleep that night.

Brenna woke very early the next morning, remembering that Father said he was taking them to the Ministry today. She hurried outside to water her plants before she went back upstairs to dress for the day. She grabbed a basic grey dress and green everyday robes. She tied her hair back in the single French braid that was becoming her normal hairstyle. She was getting better at styling her hair magically, but she still preferred to apply her own makeup.

Father looked rather tired at breakfast. He had a second cup of coffee. No one asked him where he had been all day. Draco was also dressed in black wizard robes with his hair freshly combed and a frown firmly in place. He looked quite a bit like a miniature of their father.

"Brenna, do I need to do anything for your garden this morning?" Mother asked.

"No, thank you. I've already watered it this morning." she replied.

After breakfast she and Draco followed Father into his office.

"I expect you both to behave like proper Malfoy's today. No funny business. Don't speak unless you are spoken to. Remember that you are examples, and you are always being watched. Don't do anything to embarrass the family." Father instructed.

"Father, we're both adults. You don't need to remind us of these things," Draco said. "Can we just go?"

They traveled via the fireplace to the bustling main floor of the Ministry of Magic. Brenna managed to come out of the fireplace and immediately begin walking. They all walked over to the visitor's desk to have their wands noted. The witch at the desk gave them all visitors' badges, but none of them wore anything pinned to their designer robes. It was one clothing rule that they all abided. They proceeded to the lift and ascended to the Minister's office. Brenna and Draco stood obediently just behind their father at all times. They walked primly off the lift. Brenna was left in the Minister's office while her brother and father returned to the lift to descend to the Department of Justice. She was standing in the waiting area, not sure what she was supposed to do but determined not to demonstrate that. Malfoy's had to look as though they were always at ease and in control of the situation, even when they weren't.

"Miss Malfoy?" a voice called. There was an older witch standing in the doorway. Brenna looked at her. There was no one else in the waiting area, so she wasn't exactly sure why the witch had even asked. "Come with me, please. Mr. Jennings will see you now."

She followed the witch passed the receptionist and through a pair of heavy wooden doors, being careful to walk with as much grace and elegance as she could muster. The Minister's office was much larger than she had expected. Witches and wizards bustled all around. They walked past several rooms filled with cubicles and other space dividers. They walked to nearly the back of the office before they turned into a room. This room had only one desk in it.

"Wait here. Mr. Jennings will be in in a moment." the witch said, sounding rather unenthused by the whole thing. She left Brenna standing in the office. It was an adequately sized and only mildly cluttered area- altogether not unpleasant.

"Miss Malfoy? Randolph Jennings, welcome to the office. Please, sit." a balding wizard in a pinstriped robe said quickly. Brenna shook his hand. It was clammy and far too moist. She subtly wiped her hand against the arm of the chair when she sat.

"It's very good that you were able to come in early for an orientation. I know you don't start until Monday, but now you'll know what you're doing from your first day. There is no one currently in your position, and I can assure you I will be very glad to rid myself of the extra responsibilities. I am Randolph Jennings, though you may call me Randolph. I am the chief of staff here in the Minister's Office. You will be the Minister's scheduler and personal assistant. Your workstation is in the antechamber to the Minister's office. You are responsible for planning his speaking engagements, daily appointments, and meetings. You will brief the Minister on his schedule each morning at the beginning of the day, as I have just completed. Your position requires a great deal of correspondence, as you will open all of the Minister's mail and deal with each invitation. When someone has an appointment with the Minister, you will appear in his office first to tell him that he has an appointment with Mr. or Ms. So-and-so, who has arrived. In addition, you are responsible for completing or delegating any special needs of the Minister." Randolph said. Brenna absorbed all of the information. Basically she was the Minister's secretary.

"If you schedule a speaking engagement for the Minister, let the PR department know right away so they can begin preparing his remarks or talking points. Fortunately for you, yours is not a traveling position. When he leaves the Ministry, I am the one who accompanies him. You stay here, and you become the interim chief of staff. We'll talk more about that when it happens. Our work hours are 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. You will have a one-hour lunch break around noon each day. However, you are not to leave for lunch until after the Minister has left the office for his own meal, and you should return before he does."

"Knock knock! Brenna! I didn't think you were coming in until Monday!" the Minister of Magic called cheerily, entering Randolph's office. They both stood when he entered. Brenna didn't expect the Minister of Magic to hug her. The Minister was a regular guest at Malfoy events and had even joined them for dinner a few times. As a result, Brenna knew him fairly well, enough to know she wasn't overly fond of him. He finally released her.

"Is old Randy here boring you with all his chatter?" the Minister asked. "Come with me. I'll show you where you'll be working." He grabbed her arm and took off down the hallway. At the very end of the hall there were another set of solid wooden doors. These were the first set of doors to the Minister's office and the doors to Brenna's workstation. She had a very polished looking desk off to one side, perpendicular to the door. There was a carved stone fireplace across the room from her desk and a window behind her desk. Right now the desk was covered in mail.

"This is your office. That door," he said, pointing at a door to the back that was embossed with the Ministry of Magic seal, "goes to my office. You get to schedule my appointments and things. This is a wonderful way for you to meet all the most important wizards and witches, though I daresay you already know many of them with your family's connections," the Minister said.

"I greatly appreciate the opportunity, Minister." Brenna replied stiffly.

"Minister, Albus Dumbledore is here for your eleven o'clock appointment." Randolph said, scurrying into the room.

"Very well. Send him back. Brenna, we'll see you back on Monday. Enjoy your weekend," the Minister said. He turned and entered his office. She watched Randolph admit the Headmaster to the Minister's office.

"You're finished here, Miss Malfoy. Report here by 8am on Monday for the rest of your training." Randolph said. Brenna walked back up through the office to the waiting area. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do now, so she decided to return to the main level of the Ministry.

The Minister's office was on the top floor, so Brenna started the lift ride alone. By the time she reached the main level, the lift was packed and it was nearly ten minutes later. She would have to remember that the lift took a lot of time and build that into her schedule. She found Father standing off to one side engaged in conversation with Mr. Nott. She couldn't see Draco anywhere. She chose to stand just behind her father and wait. She knew she should announce her presence, but it would be rude to interrupt their conversation. Instead, she listened quietly.

"I can't believe how well you're doing. I'm beat after last night." Mr. Nott said.

"It is rather unwise to speak of your… private evening activities in such a public place, Mathias." Father said. Brenna had suddenly realized where Father had been last night. There must have been a Death Eater meeting. She had never thought of him as going to those meetings, even after she saw his profile in the book.

"I've finished, Father." Draco said, announcing himself. His face was trained into a thoroughly neutral expression.

"Excellent, Draco. Now we've got to wait for your sister before we return home." Father said.

"Brenna's right there." Draco said, nodding in her direction. Lucius whipped around and glared at her briefly.

"Well then, it's time to be off. I've business at home to attend to this afternoon." Father said to the other wizard.

They traveled back to Lucius' office via the Floo network. "Draco, you are dismissed. Brenna, I want to talk to you."

Draco left into the rest of the house while Brenna turned to face her father. He grabbed her arm roughly, pulling her close to him. Brenna gasped from the pain with which he gripped her arm.

"You will never sneak up behind me again. You know that you are to announce yourself and yet you didn't. Why not?" he asked gruffly, shaking her a little. Brenna steeled herself. She would not let him see how much he scared her.

"I-I didn't want to interrupt your conversation. I was waiting for you to finish speaking to Mr. Nott." Lucius released her arm.

"You should have interrupted. Always announce yourself in some manner." Lucius instructed, taking a deep breath. "Now get out."

Brenna eagerly left the office. Severus was standing in the corridor outside. She smiled and raised her arms to hug him. She was shocked when he deftly caught her hands and firmly but gently put them down at her sides.

"I must discuss something with Lucius," he said. He moved past her to knock on the office door. Lucius allowed him entry, and he slipped into the room shutting the door firmly behind him.

Brenna stood in the sitting room, staring out the windows. She was very confused. First she gets the chummy treatment from the Minister, and then she gets manhandled by her father, and brushed off by her suitor. It made her rather unhappy. She rubbed her arm where Father had grabbed it. It was sore, but she didn't think it would bruise. She was mostly angry with Severus. She hadn't seen him in two days. He'd probably gone to the meeting last night, and she'd had a terrible morning. She should have gotten much more than a casual brush off.

"Brenna?" he asked as he came into the room. She ignored him, setting her jaw and staring out the window.

"Now don't be angry with me. I had to discuss something business related with Lucius, and it's very difficult for me to keep my wits about me once you've started bewitching me." Severus said, coming up behind her. He ran his hands up and down her arms. She leaned back into him and he wrapped his arms around to cover hers, which were crossed angrily.

"You are forgiven," she said, quietly.

"Good, now come talk with me," he said, taking her hand and leading her over to the sofa. He sat down near one end, extending his arm across the back of the couch. Brenna sat beside him. He turned her and pulled her legs across his lap so they could look at each other more easily.

"How is your new job?" he asked.

"I think it's going to be something I greatly dislike. The Minister seems to think we're great friends. He even hugged me when I got into the office. He'll soon learn."

"Yes, you're quite different from the type of person who usually has that job. I expect the Minister doesn't know what he got himself into." Severus replied, laughing a little.

"What do you mean the type of person who usually has that job?" she asked, a little defensive.

"Usually, the Minister's scheduler is just eye candy. It's always a young witch, though usually not one as young as you. They usually stay only long enough to find a husband with money and power." Severus explained.

"Hmm, well I'm certainly not any of that. I don't need to look for a husband, I've already got you," she said, touching the side of his face. Severus drew a shaky breath.

"And you'll take the job much more seriously than an empty-headed floozy would." he said.

"Yes, because I am there to do a job." she said, winking at him. "That reminds me, how are you?"

"I'm fine. This is an odd point in the conversation to ask that kind of question. Usually that is asked at the very beginning if at all," he said.

"I heard there was a meeting last night," she whispered. Severus sighed and leaned his head back briefly.

"How did you learn that?" he asked.

"I heard Father talking to Mathias Nott at the Ministry. Nott said he was very tired, and he was surprised to see Father looking so well. I, of course, knew that he was tired as well. Anyway, Father cautioned Nott against talking of his evening activities in such a public place. So, again, how are you?" she asked concerned.

"I'm fine. I'll admit I slept late this morning, but I didn't get back to Hogwarts until nearly three this morning. Don't worry, it was just talking… a lot of talking," he promised, kissing her quickly to distract her from asking further questions.


	20. Chapter 20 High Drama at Malfoy Manor

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 20- High Drama at Malfoy Manor

On Monday Brenna started work. She kept in mind what Severus had told her and wore a black robe that covered very nearly every inch of her body. She completed every aspect of her job to the fullest extent possible. At the end of the day she knew one thing for certain- her job was deadly boring. The only thing that kept her from quitting was thinking of the Order.

Every day that first week, Brenna went to her job, and every day she hated it. The Minister spoke to her as though she were a child, and some of the visitors spoke to her as though she were a hired slut. For the Order, she kept track of who was asking for appointments that were known or possible Death Eaters. In truth, even that wasn't very difficult. Before and after work she sought peace tending her garden.

Severus had left her a little note that week when he was at her house and she was at work. It made Wednesday that much better to come home from work to find a single rose and a note that he'd had one of the family house elves leave on her bed. It didn't say much, mostly that he was looking forward to their date Saturday night. On Saturday night he came around and took her to dinner and to see a ballet. She wasn't a big fan of the ballet, but it was nice that he'd tried. She really just enjoyed being able to spend time with Severus because he made her feel like an appreciated human being again.

During her second week of work, Brenna watched Draco's mood go from foul to downright nasty. On Thursday night, he and Father missed dinner. Father had told her he was taking Draco to a poker night at another wizard's house, so she didn't worry. They still weren't back when Brenna went to bed that night, but they usually weren't finished with poker nights until long after Brenna went to bed. The only worrisome part was how sad Mother had seemed that evening at dinner.

In the middle of the night, Brenna woke to the sound of retching. She ran to the bathroom, but she couldn't open the door. Draco had locked it. She hurried down the hall and entered the bathroom from Draco's room. There was no way Father or Mother would be able to hear him from their room, and he could be quite ill. She walked in to find her younger brother curled around the toilet, dressed in black robes that were all too familiar. What had he done? She may have only known him a little over a year, but Brena knew that Draco didn't support the activities of the Dark Lord any more than she did.

"Draco." she said quietly. She wet a washcloth in cool water. She sat down beside him, smoothing his hair while he vomited what had to be the entire contents of his stomach. It took every bit of willpower she had not to gag just from being near someone vomitting. She knew though that Draco needed her tonight. "Are you okay?"

"No." he said weakly, sitting back and flushing the toilet. Brenna reached over and started mopping his face gently with the washcloth. Draco pushed himself away from her. "Don't touch me." His manner was rather that of an upset toddler.

"Draco, what's wrong?" she asked. She'd never seen Draco this upset before, and it was very worrying.

"I'm a horrible person," he said, curling up.

"You're not a horrible person, little brother," she whispered, moving to sit in front of him. She put her hands on his knees.

"I'm a horrible person, Brenna. I killed a Muggle tonight. I didn't want to, but I did. They made me." Draco cried. He looked scared and sad.

"Who made you?" she asked, though she already knew the answer. Draco pulled up his shirtsleeve quickly, and there it was. Brenna found herself staring at the Dark Mark emblazoned on red and angry flesh. It was definitely new. She grabbed another washcloth and wet it in the bathtub, since that's what she could reach. She pressed it to the Dark Mark, fighting the desire to scrub and see if she could wash it off. His skin looked like it really couldn't take any more abuse right now. She scooted closer to Draco and hugged him as tightly as she could. He cried freely into her shoulder.

They sat like that on the bathroom floor for a long time. Finally Draco seemed to calm. He pulled away from her a bit.

"Does it hurt? The mark." she asked.

"Not as much as it did at first, but yes, it hurts." he said weakly. Brenna stood up and got some skin salve from the cabinet. She took his left arm and carefully removed the washcloth. It took every ounce of her self-control to gently rub the salve into his arm instead of running out of the room, horrified at the sight of the Dark Lord's brand. It was so difficult to touch the mark of someone she hated more than anyone in the world on the arm of someone she loved so much. She rubbed the salve in several times before she felt the muscles on Draco's forearm relax. Then she put the top back on the container.

"Come on, let's get you out of those clothes and into bed. You need to try to sleep a bit." She spoke to him gently, like she was talking to a very young child. She helped him slip off his robes. He seemed relatively cognizant, but she didn't really want to leave him alone for long. She got a clean pair of his sleep pants and a tee shirt from the closet before returning to the bathroom. Draco hadn't moved. He looked up at her when she came in.

"Here, change your clothes." she said, handing him the pajamas and turning around. She could hear scuffling that made her believe her orders were being obeyed. When the shuffling stopped, she turned around to find Draco standing in pajamas, shoving the clothes he'd been wearing into the garbage.

"Come on, little brother. Let's try to get some sleep," she said. She led him by the hand back to his room and tucked him into bed. She had just turned away when he reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Please don't leave me," he whispered. "I really don't want to be alone right now."

"I'm not going to leave, Draco." she said She gently pulled his fingers off her wrist and climbed on the other side of the bed. She scooted so she was right behind him and wrapped her arm around him. He put his hand over hers. Draco turned onto his back, so Brenna scooted over to the other side of the bed.

While lying there in bed, he told her the whole story in whispers. Father had told him almost three weeks ago that he was going to join the Death Eaters. That's why he had been so angry. Earlier that night Father had told him it was time. He didn't have a choice. He went to the meeting, killed an innocent Muggle and was branded by the Dark Lord. There were of course many more gory details than that, but those Brenna would try to forget. After a while, he managed to fall into an uneasy sleep. Brenna lay there, wide-awake. At some point in the night, Draco pulled her close as a security object. When it was time for her to get up for work, he was sleeping on his stomach with his arm thrown over her stomach. She gingerly got out of bed, showered and dressed for work.

She went down to breakfast and told Mother that Draco was ill and would not be going to work that day. Father apparently was working from home that day and sleeping in.

Brenna left for work via her father's floo. She spent the whole day in an odd fog induced by stress and lack of sleep. It was Friday, so she was a little late leaving work, as she had to close up the office. The Minister and Randolph were in Ireland for the weekend, doing stupid little engagements she had delighted in scheduling last week. She walked through the emptiness that pervaded the Ministry building after five o'clock on a Friday. At the apparation point, she went to Grimmauld Place.

Brenna walked straight through the house into the dining room. Molly was just taking up everyone's dinner dishes. She vaguely recognized that the Weasley's were all there, as were Harry, Remus, and Tonks.

"Brenna, do you want something to eat?" Molly asked.

She walked to the Death Eater book on the mantle and pulled it down. She used her wand to move Draco's information from the suspected section to the known section. She closed the book and found that she could no longer block the tears.

"Oh no, dear. What's wrong?" Molly asked. She took the book from Brenna and put it back on the shelf. Then she did something she didn't think she'd ever do. Mothering instinct kicked in and she hugged a Malfoy. This only made the girl start to sob.

"Ginny, go get the tissues from the library. Ron, pour her a cup of tea." Molly ordered. She led Brenna over to the table and sat her down. They all watched her cry, quite concerned. Molly tried in vain to comfort her. She folded her arms on the table and laid her head across her arms, sobbing hard.

"What do we do? Should we contact Albus?" Molly whispered.

"No," Tonks said. "Severus." She sent her Patronus out the window.

"Why Severus? He's about the least helpful person we could find for dealing with an upset young lady." Remus said.

"He's been courting her for a few weeks now. He'll probably know what to do. Moreover, he'll probably know why she's so upset, and he can take her home." Tonks replied. She patted her cousin's shoulder. Harry and Ron were looking at her as though she'd grown a second head. Sobbing Malfoy women were far from their forte.

The fire turned green and the Potions Master stepped out.

"What's exactly is- oh." he said, starting out rather angry, then softening entirely when he saw Brenna sobbing against the table. They made room for him, clearing a bubble around Brenna.

"Let it all out. It's going to be okay, Bren," he said softly. His hand touched her back and she suddenly shifted so she was crying against his shirt. He just rubbed her back and sat beside her, holding her tightly while she cried.

"What happened?" he asked.

"We don't know. She just came in, changed something in the book and started crying." Molly said worredly.

"Oh you didn't have to do it. I would have done it." Severus whispered to Brenna. She just clung to his shirt. The sobbing was rapidly dying down.

"What's wrong, Severus?" Molly asked.

"It's Draco. He took the Mark last night. He and Brenna are very close." Severus said. "I'm sorry Brenna. I stopped by your house earlier today. When I heard you had gone to work, I figured you were okay. I was going to stop and see you this evening." He took a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. Brenna blew her nose and started mopping her own face, still keeping hold of Severus with one hand. She rested her head against his chest, just breathing in his scent for a while.

"Is there any firewhiskey in this house? Any kind of liquor at all really?" Severus asked.

"There's a bottle in the den. I'll go get it," Arthur responded. He hurried out of the room to return with a bottle of whiskey and a shot glass. "It's kind of old. I don't know if it's still any good." Severus poured a shot one handed and downed it.

"It's not great, but it won't hurt." he replied, pouring another shot. This one he handed to Brenna. "Drink." he said. She obediently sat up, sipped the shot slowly and looked at him.

"Severus." she said, as though she had just noticed whom she'd been clinging to. "I've gotten your shirt all wet."

"It will dry. Are you okay?" he asked.

"It was horrible- absolutely horrible." she said.

"Tell me about it." Severus said.

"You were there. You must have been there. You already know what happened," she protested. She turned her head away. She didn't want to think about it all again. Severus took two fingers and turned her head back to look at him.

"I was there. I want to know what happened when Lucius and Draco got home," he said. Brenna paused for a moment before launching into the story of her discovering Draco tossing his cookies in the middle of the night and all the events thereafter. Their little audience listened intently, feeling just a small taste of her sadness.

"-and after work I came here to change the book so the Order has the most up-to-date information possible." she finished. She'd had to dab at her eyes several more times with Severus' handkerchief. Molly had needed to dab at her own eyes a few times as well. Ron and Harry just looked dumbfounded.

"So you slept for about three hours before you got up with Draco. You stayed up pretty much all night and worked a full day today?" Severus asked. Brenna nodded. "Okay, we need to get you something to eat and then you need to sleep."

"I will make something. Severus, have you eaten yet?" Molly asked, moving toward the kitchen. It seemed as though taking care of people was her way of coping with things.

"No, Molly. I haven't eaten." Severus responded.

"Then I'll make you both something to eat," she said, already bustling in the kitchen.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. Please don't go to much trouble." Brenna said.

"Oh nonsense, dear. It's no trouble at all." she called.

"Miss Weasley, could you show Brenna to a restroom and help her clean up?" Severus asked. Ginny nodded her head. Brenna slowly rose from the table and followed the redhead out of the room.

After she left the room, Snape stretched out his arms. He got up and took down the book.

"Professor, why did she come here to break down?" Harry asked.

"Well, it certainly wouldn't be safe for her to do that at home. When she's at home she must appear to be proud that Draco has been marked and happy for him. She can't have a moment in any semi-public place because that's inappropriate for a Malfoy. Consider it a compliment to the Order that she was comfortable enough to show emotion here." Snape replied.

"That would be very difficult." Ron said.

A few minutes later Ginny and Brenna returned. Brenna looked a little more like herself, just very tired. She resumed her seat beside Severus, who was strattling the bench, and leaned her back against his chest.

"So tired." she said quietly.

"I know, but you've got to eat before you go to sleep, at least a little."

"I wish I could just stay here tonight."

"I wish you could too. At least that way I could keep an eye on you, but there's no way around it. You have to sleep at Malfoy Manor every night or I will be a dead man." Severus said. Brenna chuckled a little.

"Father would not be happy if he thought I stayed the night with you, and he'd be less happy if he knew I spent the night at the headquarters of the Order." she said.

"That is quite certain on both counts." Severus replied.

Molly brought them each a bowl of soup and a large hunk of homemade bread for dinner. Brenna took a bite. She hadn't realized just how hungry she was.

"This is delicious," she said to Molly before turning to Severus. "If I eat like a pig just this once, will you promise not to tell my family?"

"I will promise you anything you want just to know you ate at least one good meal today." She smiled at him and tucked in.

An hour later Severus was practically carrying Brenna into Malfoy Manor. For her own safety, he took her as far into the house as he could go, the bottom of the third floor stairwell. He handed her a vial of potion.

"Take this before you go to sleep," he said.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's just a strong calming draught. It should help you stay asleep," he replied.

"Will I still see you tomorrow?"

"I'll come around in the afternoon. You need to sleep now, and you should spend some time with Draco tomorrow. It's very hard the first few days. Make sure he stays the same basic person. Make sure he knows you still care about him. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight." she said, beginning to walk up the stairs. It was the first time they'd said goodnight since they'd begun courting that hadn't involved kissing, but Brenna just didn't feel like kissing or being kissed tonight.

AN: This was a very difficult chapter for me to write, so I hope you enjoyed it.


	21. Chapter 21 Time Passes

Suprisingly Pure-mypseudonym

Chapter 21 Time Passes

Brenna woke the next morning feeling largely refreshed. The calming potion was very helpful in allowing her to stay asleep all night. Everything seemed like a much smaller problem after a good night's sleep. She showered and went downstairs for breakfast.

It was Saturday, so the whole family was having a leisurely breakfast. Brenna ordered pancakes and bacon. She hadn't really eaten yesterday, so she was rather hungry.

"Is Severus coming over today?" Narcissa asked.

"I believe he is." Brenna said.

"It's Saturday. It would be unusual if he wasn't here." Lucius remarked, taking a very large bite of eggs.

"Well, that's usually the way it works when you are courting. You remember how often we saw each other when we were courting, don't you, Lucius? It had to be three times a week or more." Narcissa said.

"I only see Severus twice a week, sometimes three, and Father complains about that." Brenna objected. Lucius gritted his teeth.

After breakfast Brenna stopped Draco in the hall.

"How are you doing?" she whispered.

"I'm fine. Now stop it. I don't know what' wrong with you today." Draco snipped.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?" she asked. Draco threw his hands up in the air.

"Forget it. Just leave me alone," he said, stomping off to the game room. Brenna went outside to tend to her garden. There were two days of weed growth to be addressed, and the plants all needed watered. It took her the rest of the morning just to get caught up. She was pleased to see though that many of the plants had begun to sprout.

When Severus came to visit that afternoon, she hurried with him out to the garden to show off her plants.

***

The summer whizzed past in a blur of monotony. Brenna went to work at her awful job every day. Draco slowly began to climb the ranks in the Department of Justice. Her garden grew and flourished. Every other week she would head off to an Order meeting, and occasionally she would give a report of a noteworthy event in the Minister's office. She and Severus went out every Saturday night. On Wednesdays, when he would conduct business with Lucius during the day, Brenna would come home to find a rose or a note or some chocolates on her bed. No doubt he was giving these things to a house elf to place there. Brenna treasured her time with Severus, but the rest of her life passed in parade of tedium.

The boredom of the summer, however, paled in comparison to the boredom of the school year. From September until December, January until June, Severus had a commitment to be at Hogwarts near constantly. She couldn't go there to see him, nor could he leave to see her.

They tried a lot of things to see each other. Severus signed up to chaperone the first two Hogsmeade weekends. He rarely volunteered to do anything, especially not guard adolescents as they ran near wild in the small Wizarding town. The decision was made solely because he could meet Brenna in Hogsmeade, and they would be able to spend most of the day together. After the first weekend though, Severus found that he was not able to do his job adequately while seeing her. They had to abandon that plan. That left them with a constant stream of letters back and forth. A couple of times during the year Severus had Hogwarts business that permitted him to leave Hogwarts in favor of London. He would sneak a brief visit to Brenna at work or she would meet him somewhere.

Order meetings were the hardest. Brenna had made a concerted effort to be more independent, so she was able to leave the manor without attracting any undue attention. This allowed her to attend Order meetings with some regularity. She had to skip one randomly each month so as not to attract attention to any patterns. She saw Severus at most of the meetings, but they scarcely had time to say hello. He had to return to his duties at the school, and she had to complete whatever her alibi would be for the evening. It worried her most when he wasn't there, though her urgent letters always brought back tales of supervising detentions, potions accidents, or security shifts.

With her dour moods, Brenna's garden did not continue flourishing. She had barely anything to harvest that fall, and none of it was worth trying to do anything. She had such a hard time getting used to being alone. Severus wrote to her that she shouldn't give up. She was to try at least once more, planting at the very beginning of spring.

Christmas vacation saw a glorious return to Severus' presence in her life, and a temporary end to the monotony. She found it difficult to enjoy herself, though, because the knowledge that he would be gone again in a few short weeks persisted in lingering in her mind. They talked about it often- his profession. There weren't a lot of openings for brewers, though. Severus didn't really have interest in work that monotonous. Research was suitably exciting, but it was not a very stable way of life and could be exceedingly dangerous. That left teaching, which Brenna was shocked to find out that he actually rather liked.

In the spring Brenna replanted her garden. This time she set her sights a little lower, not trying to fill it with masses of plants. She decided to try mostly heartier plants with a few that required some attention. Bearing in mind what Severus and her books had suggested, she tried to fill her garden with positive emotions. She read Severus' letters out there, sometimes reading to the plants some of his wittier quips or stories. She took Dolce out to the garden some during the weekends to watch her cat chase the bugs and play in her little garden. It seemed to work, The plants sprouted within a few weeks of her planting seeds. She fancied that they looked like heartier seedlings than last year.

Finally, when Brena thought her life was about to end from the sheer boredom of it all, summer arrived again. The most exciting part of this summer was her first anniversary with Severus. They sat together in one of the far gardens that evening, looking out at the twinkling garden lights.

"Do you realize it's now been officially one year since we began to see each other?" Severus asked.

"I'm aware of that, yes." she replied sleepily, burrowing her face into his neck sleepily and stifling a yawn.

"Well, if you can manage to stay awake for a few minutes, I have something for you." he said. Brenna poked her head up.

"Okay." she replied, sitting up more. Severus reached into the pocket of his dress robes and pulled out a small box.

"Happy anniversary, Brenna." he said, opening the box with one hand. Inside was a delicate emerald and diamond necklace in a platinum setting. Brenna gasped. She gingerly took the box from his hand.

"Oh, Severus, it's gorgeous. Thank you!" she said, throwing her arms around him.

"You're very welcome. I realized that I hadn't bought you any jewelry yet, and that's somewhat my duty as your suitor. I'm glad you like it." he explained. She could tell there was more he wanted to say, but he was holding it in. She decided not to push him tonight.

"I love it, Severus." se said, kissing him briefly.

"I love you." he replied.

"I love you." she responded. She hadn't really thought about it, but she knew she did love him. It was the only possible explanation for the sickening mass of feeling she had all year but was mysteriously relieved of when he arrived. Brenna Malfoy was in love with Severus Snape, and Severus Snape was in love with Brenna Malfoy. They'd been seeing each other for a full year, but this was the first time they'd been able to say the words. It felt good to get their feelings out in the open.

At the end of August Brenna took a Friday off. It was time to harvest her garden, which had indeed matured fabulously, and it was going to be a big job. She asked Severus to come and help her, a request to which he happily complied. They spent most of the day in the sun, harvesting leaves and roots from all the various plants in her garden and depositing them into marked canvas bags. She was surprised when Severus turned up that morning wearing blue jeans and a white long-sleeved shirt. When he rolled up his sleeves and Brenna got a quick glimpse of his Mark, she shuddered a little. She was slowly getting used to it, but it would take some time before the sight of Voldemort's symbol didn't cause her stress.

Severus extolled the quality of her plants while he plucked and pulled. It made her happy that she had succeeded in growing quality Potions ingredients. They created quite a pile of labeled canvas bags in one corner of the garden. When they were finally finished, they stood together admiring the pile.

Brenna sighed in an accomplished fashion. She looked over at Severus who was standing beside her. They were in no way touching, which was unusual, but it was far too hot outside for physical contact to be pleasant.

"Okay, what of these could you use at Hogwarts?" she asked. She knew it was about time for him to start preparing for the new school year.

"Well, we use all of these plants routinely." Severus said.

"Then we will send it all to Hogwarts then." she said. She snapped her fingers for an elf to appear.

"Brenna you can't be serious. You can sell these." he said, incredulous.

"And yet I'm going to give them all to you and the school. They're my plants, Severus, I'll do with them as I wish." she said. She turned to the house elf. "Please see that these bags are safely bundled and sent to Hogwarts." The elf nodded.

"Thank you." Severus said.

"You're welcome." Brenna replied. They kissed quickly, "Now let's go get cleaned up."

Father and Draco were at the Ministry all day and Mother was visiting Mrs. Parkington all day, so they had the house to themselves. Brenna unlocked Severus' preferred guest room so that he could shower before she went upstairs to do the same.

When she emerged from the shower, Brenna dressed again in casual pants and a shirt. She left her hair down. It was a hassle, but Severus seemed to prefer her hair down. She found him relaxing in the sitting room, his eyes closed and head leaned back on the sofa. Brenna smiled. It was unusual to see him looking quite so comfortable. She attributed it to their privacy in the house, which was similarly relaxing for her. She climbed on the couch so that she strattled his lap and gingerly kissed his exposed neck. She felt his arms move to touch her thighs.

In a matter of moments they were having their first proper snog. They'd never really had the opportunity before. Neither of them was okay with snogging in the manor while there was a constant possibility of being interrupted, nor would they snog in public when they were on a date. Finally they had several free hours with no interruptions, and Brenna planned to make as good a use of them as they could.

***

All too soon they sat curled up together in the ladies parlor. It was August 31st. This would be the last day they'd be able to see each other for quite a while. It was very difficult for Severus to leave Hogwarts during the school year, even for an evening. The faculty wasn't large, so the Headmaster really needed everyone there as much as humanly possible to keep track of all the students. They were both very sad. Brenna was near tears.

"It will be okay. We can write to each other, and we'll see each other at Order meetings." he said, gently stroking her hair as they stared into each other's eyes. Brenna had locked the door to give them some privacy.

"I suppose it is rather romantic to write letters back and forth, but I miss seeing you. You and I both know that we rarely get to see each other at Order meetings. We've always got to run out to one place or another," she said.

The clock in the room began to strike 10pm.

"You have to go," she said. Lucius had instituted a rule that Severus had to be gone by 10 pm unless he was staying in the manor for some reason. Even then, he and Brenna were not supposed to be unsupervised after 10pm.

"I know," he acknowledged. She walked with him out to the front porch. They stood out there and kissed for a long time.

"It will be okay. We'll write and see each other as often as we can. It's not that long until Christmas break." he said. They kissed again, and he disappeared.

***

They wrote almost every day during the school year. It was quite romantic actually, and it made their relationship even deeper. Without the ability to demonstrate their physical compatibility, they set to getting to know each other better. There were the occasional steamy love letters, but those came usually just before they'd be able to see each other again.

Every other week there would be an Order meeting and they'd see each other. Sometimes there was no time for private interaction, but other times they were able to have a few minutes of passionate snogging in a dark corner somewhere.

Brenna's birthday was a quiet affair that year. Severus wasn't able to get away, not so close to the beginning of the year. He sent her a dozen roses at work and had an emerald necklace arrive via his personal owl that evening.

Meanwhile, Draco was able to settle into a more comfortable rhythm with the Death Eaters. He didn't mind that he had to attend meetings- they were usually just talk anyway. What he couldn't stomach were the revels. He told the others that he didn't wish to be around all the polluted blood, even if the Muggles were already dead. They believed him, and it was a part of the truth. Severus had told Brenna that he didn't attend any revels, saying it would draw too much suspicion from Dumbledore if he happened to be gone every night there was a Death Eater attack.

Brenna found her life post-Hogwarts to be quite terrible. She no longer got harassed at work, but she still hated it. Severus was gone except for the letters she read in her garden and reread in her room before bed. To make matters worse, she felt like she was constantly fighting with Father about something. He seemed much more irritable. A few times he had even gotten angry enough to grab her and leave a mark. She was very glad that she was able to wear long robes to work and Severus wasn't around to see the bruises.

AN: I know this chapter represents a major passage of time (almost two years), but I wrote this story from the beginning and a few flashes that will become the end. We're now in the middle, which mainly means I need to develop their relationship while allowing a significant passage of time. To my reviewer who asked why no one in the Order has guessed who she really is- the Order has grown by leaps and bounds at this point with new people joining every month or so. They have lots to do.


	22. Chapter 22 Christmas Time Again

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 22- Christmas Time Again

Before long it was Christmas time again. Brenna had the Hogwarts schedule memorized, so she knew when Severus would possibly show up and sweep her off her feet. They hadn't seen each other in over a month, as Brenna had not been able to attend the last Order meeting. Their letters, which usually were quite romantic before they would see each other again, were unusually steamy.

Brenna found herself standing on the balcony outside the ballroom on December 23rd. Mother had recently finished decorating with the elves. Brenna felt herself compelled to come visit the place where her relationship with Severus had begun. She always thought about him when she stood on this balcony or saw it from outside.

"Brenna!" she heard. She whipped around to see Severus walking through the doors out onto the balcony still wearing his cloak and scarf.

"Severus!" she called, running to meet him. They clung to each other tightly before kissing passionately. When the kiss broke, Brenna shivered a bit.

"You're cold. Come here." Severus said. He reached out to her and wrapped his cloak around them both. Brenna wrapped her arms around his warm body and felt herself relax.

"I've missed you so, so much," she said.

"I'm sure it can't be any more than I've missed you. I've thought about you every second of every minute of every day." he said, holding her tightly.

"That's about how often I thought about you," she said, smiling up at him. After a few minutes they moved back into the house. That's when she noticed his suitcase in the entryway. "Are you staying here for a while?" she asked hopefully.

"Oh yes. We haven't seen each other in so long, and Christmas vacation isn't very long. I got permission from your mother to stay here during the holiday. This way we can spend more time together." he said. Brenna squealed and jumped to wrap her arms around his shoulders. He caught her, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaving her feet dangling a few inches off the ground.

"I'm so happy you're going to stay here! We'll be able to spend all day together for a whole week!" she cheered. Severus eased her down so her feet her on the marble floor again. "Come on, I'll unlock your room."

The two walked upstairs hand in hand straight to the green guest room. He chucked his suitcase inside and closed the door again.

"Let's go out," he suggested. "Let's go dancing."

"I'll change and meet you downstairs." Brenna said. She kissed him quickly and hurried up to the third floor.

****

Christmas Eve was a rather subdued day at the Malfoy house. The annual ball would occur that evening. Brenna had chosen her gown already, reflecting that it would suit her well since she'd spend the whole evening with Severus. He had a bit of a jealous streak and didn't want her dancing with anyone other than him, her father, or her brother. Similarly, she didn't want him dancing with anyone else, except maybe Mother.

She and Severus spent the morning reading beside each other on a couch in the library. After lunch he set to completing some personal correspondence while Brenna began getting ready for the ball. She charmed her longer hair into tight ringlets and arranged them so they hung artfully down her back. The gown she'd chosen was black with a sash of white across the bodice and hanging down the side. She needed a long-sleeved gown to cover the bruises on her upper arm where Father had grabbed her a few days earlier. She took great care in applying her makeup and jewelry. When she slipped into her black stiletto heels she noted that it was time to go downstairs.

Severus and Draco were waiting on the second floor. Draco was clearly showing Severus the spot where they usually watched people arrive for parties. She cleared her throat slightly at the bottom of the stairs. Both men straightened to look at her.

"Brenna, you look ravishing tonight." Severus said, striding over and lifting her hand to kiss.

"Thank you, Severus. You are looking very handsome yourself." she replied, smiling. "Nearly everyone has arrived by now. You should go downstairs." Since Severus wasn't officially a member of the family he could not enter the ball with them. He would be waiting for her inside.

They waltzed the night away together, spinning and twirling in the Malfoy ballroom. Finally they noted that not too many couples were still around. Draco was still dancing with Pansy Parkington. Father and Mother stood by the door, bidding their guests goodnight. Just when Severus was about to suggest that he and Brenna move to the balcony he noticed Draco leading Pansy that way.

"It looks as though our usual spot has been taken." he said to Brenna, nodding over toward the young pair.

"So it would seem." Brenna replied with a smile. "Don't worry. There are many places in this house we can sneak away to." She led him to the Ladies Parlor. She rarely used this room, mostly just when Mother made her come to a tea. Now she brought Severus into the room and shut the door behind them.

"I take it this is your parlor?" he asked. He lifted one eyebrow as he looked about the room. Brenna too looked at the obvious femininity of the room.

"I like to think of it more as Mother's parlor, but yes." she said, sitting on the couch and drawing him down beside her. She pulled off her heels wearily. Severus pulled her legs up so that they lay across him on the couch.

"They'll hurt less if you keep them up." he said, looking at her deeply. Before too long they were snogging and Brenna found herself having moved to sit on his lap. His hands tangled her curls while hers explored his neck, shoulders and chest. After a while, Brenna sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. Their hands intertwined as they sat in silence.

"This has been a wonderful evening." Brenna whispered happily.

Christmas day passed in a blur for Brenna. The family surrounded her from the moment she came down to brunch. Severus hung back, not even coming downstairs when they went to open family presents in the parlor. His ring on her finger was the only thing to remind her that he was even still in the house. She saw him at dinner, but that was all really.

Draco grabbed her immediately after dinner and led her upstairs hurriedly.

"Draco, what's wrong?" she asked as Draco led her into his room and shut the door before he started pacing.

"I think I like Pansy." he said, pacing furiously around the room. Brenna sat down on his bed.

"That's great, Draco. I know she likes you." Brenna responded. It was no secret that Pansy had been holding a candle for Draco since they were eleven.

"Do you think so? Oh, Brenna, what do I do?" he asked, turning to her.

"First off, yes. Secondly, it's not a problem. Just do what you feel like you should."

"Should I go speak to her father about courting her?" he asked.

"I wouldn't just yet unless you feel that strongly for her. Take her out a few times first to see if your feelings are really that strong. You need to make sure she's interested as well. It wouldn't do to even try to court her if she's not interested." Brenna said.

They spent hours in Draco's room talking over everything until he finally calmed down and decided on a plan. He would wait for a day or two, then he would write to Pansy to see if she would meet him somewhere. Brenna suggested somewhere public but comfortable, like Diagon Alley. Then if that went well, he'd ask her on a real date.

When they finished talking it was quite late, so Brenna got ready for bed. She changed into pajamas and had just finished pulling her hair into a lazy bun when she noticed the little black box sitting on her vanity. She had forgotten to give Severus his Christmas present. It wasn't quite midnight yet, so she decided to go see if he was still awake.

Brenna trooped downstairs in her pajamas and knocked at the door to Severus' room. It was quiet for a moment before he answered the door, dressed in a relaxed version of his regular attire and holding an open book in one hand. His shirt was untucked with the first few buttons undone. He also had a bit of a five o'clock shadow. Brenna smiled at his rumpled state, though she was similarly relaxed looking in her pj's.

"Is something wrong?" Severus asked when he saw her.

"Yes, I just realized that I hadn't given you your Christmas present." she replied. She pushed her way into the room. She could see the dent in the blankets where he had been sitting on the bed. Severus closed the door and turned around. Brenna handed him the box. He passed her and walked to the armoire where he too removed a gift, handing it to her.

"You open yours first," she ordered. He sat down in the armchair, and she perched on the footstool across from him. She had gotten for him a monogrammed and size adjustable set of silver scales for Potions brewing. He looked at them amazed.

"Brenna this is perfect. Thank you," he said. Brenna unwrapped her gift to reveal a copy of _The Healer's Helpmate_. Brenna was shocked. She'd mentioned only in a letter a couple of weeks ago that she had wanted to learn more about Healing spells. It was all she could do to resist the urge to start reading right then and there, but the clock's midnight bells were enough to remind her that it was time to go to bed.

"I guess I made it down here just in time to exchange gifts on Christmas." she said, standing to leave. She stood and turned to leave. Severus caught her hand.

"What's wrong with your arm?" he asked, pulling her over into the light. Brenna gasped. She'd been careful to wear long sleeves around him since his arrival, but her pajamas were short sleeved. She's completely forgotten to grap her robe. Severus examined the bruises on her upper arm from a few days ago when Father nearly drug her down the hallway. "What happened?" Severus asked, very serious.

"It's nothing. It doesn't hurt at all." she said quickly, trying to pull her arm back. Severus didn't let go.

"Did Draco do this to you?" he asked, somewhat angrily.

"No, Draco would never. It's not that big of a deal, Severus, really. I bruise easily." she stuttered. She was afraid. It was rare to see Severus so angry looking. She tried not to cry, but a few tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes. Severus looked at her and immediately his eyes softened. He stood and pulled her towards him, wrapping his long arms around her.

"It's okay. I'm not angry," he said soothingly. "That's a lie. Dammit, I am angry, but I'm not angry with you. No one should be touching you in such a way to leave bruises on your skin. Brenna, I love you, and I would never hurt you. Please tell me who is." He tilted her head gently so that her watery eyes looked into his dark eyes.

"Father, but he really doesn't mean to. I have a way of making him angry, and I think he forgets that he can hurt me. It doesn't happen often at all. Please don't say anything to him, Severus. I don't want him to think I came down here and whined to you." she cried. The fear in her eyes was evident.

"Okay, I won't say anything to him this time. But, I want you to tell me every time he hurts you. No more secrets. I will stop him if it gets more serious or this starts happening a lot. Promise me you'll tell me," he said.

"I promise." she replied obediently. She hugged Severus tightly for a few moments. He handed her a handkerchief to dry her eyes with. Meanwhile, Brenna felt a strange tingling over the bruises. Severus had his hand covering them. His eyes were closed, and he stood very still. When he lifted his hand, the bruises were gone. Brenna looked at him in awe.

"How did you…" The question hadn't fully formed on her lips before Severus shushed her with a singly finger over her lips.

"I'll tell you all about it another time. Right now, you and I both need sleep, so I suggest you go back upstairs to bed." he said. Brenna was disappointed, but she did understand. She was very tired.

"I'll let you have it your way this time." she said, moving toward the door, "Goodnight Severus, and Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas, Brenna." he replied. He saw her out of the room and shut the door as she turned to go upstairs.


	23. Chapter 23 The End of Christmas Vacation

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 23- The End of Christmas Vacation

Brenna went to bed convinced it had been the best Christmas ever. The feeling carried over into the next morning. She dressed in jeans and a sweater and headed downstairs. At breakfast she could tell that no one was aware she'd been in Severus' room the previous night after everyone else had gone to bed. She persuaded herself that their courtship contract may have forbidden Severus from coming onto the third floor, but it did not specify that she couldn't be in his room. It wasn't as though they did anything inappropriate anyway. He was much too much of a gentleman to try to pressure her into anything.

The morning was spent reading with Severus in the sitting room. She was devouring the Healing book he'd given her. It was even more enthralling than she had thought. She knew she didn't want a career in medicine, but she felt like she should have a basic understanding of healing medicine and how it worked.

In the afternoon, Brenna played board games with Draco in the game room. Her little brother had written to Pansy and was quite nervous.

"What if she doesn't like me?" he asked.

"She likes you, Draco." Brenna said for what felt like the millionth time.

"But what if she hangs out with me and she doesn't like me?" he asked.

"If that happens, then you'll notice. If you don't think you're both ready, then don't court her. You can just date for a while or you can call it quits and see other people." Brenna explained.

"Do you wish you had dated more people than just Severus?" he asked.

"First off, Severus is not the first person I dated. I saw Victor Krum briefly, and even kind of dated Ron Weasley. And no, I do not wish I had dated more people. Severus and I are very happy," she said. Severus had been walking past the door at that moment and had been very happy to hear her answer. He knocked before sticking his head in.

"Brenna? I was wondering if you'd like to go out to dinner tonight?" he asked. Brenna smiled.

"I would love to go out to dinner. Can I meet you in the entryway around 7?" she asked.

"I will be waiting patiently." he replied before backing out of the room. Draco shook his head.

"It's so different from the professor we knew a year and a half ago that it's just astounding." he said quietly.

At seven o'clock Brenna descended the marble stairs dressed in crisp blue robes, a white shirt, and a black skirt. Severus was waiting at the bottom dressed in his usual date attire. He took her to a Greek restaurant in Wizarding London that was amazing.

"I almost don't know what to do this week. It's been so long since we had so much time together. I mean, I don't even have to work this week." Brenna said.

"I completely understand. At least tomorrow afternoon we know what we'll be doing." Severus said. Brenna raised an eyebrow in silent question.

"We planned to meet some of our friends in the city tomorrow afternoon, remember?" Severus prodded. Understanding dawned on Brenna. She understood the coded phrase to refer to an Order meeting. She had forgotten about it in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. The war was really picking up speed. Order meetings used to be once a month, but now they met nearly every week, and sometimes more often than that. There was more to talk about at meetings as well. She knew that the Death Eaters had been more active, as Father and Draco would disappear once or twice a week for no apparent reason. They almost never came back injured or bloody, so Brenna didn't think about it too much. Life was easier if she tried to ignore the fact that most of her family were fighting on the other side of this war.

She presumed that the Order was at least accomplishing some important things because Father's nerves seemed increasingly shot. She more frequently caught him pacing or grumbling about nothing in particular.

In no time, they were leaving for the Order meeting. Brenna had dressed up as Severus had promised to take her salsa dancing after the meeting. She wore a dramatically cut black dress with her hair pulled back into a bun. She pulled her winter cloak tight to ward off the chill. Severus wrapped his arms around her when he apparated them away.

Grimmauld Place was bustling. Most of the Order had already gathered around the dining room table. Brenna felt bad for Ginny Weasley, as she was now the only person in residence at Grimmauld Place that was not in the Order. Her former friend had no doubt been banished to the upper levels of the house. Brenna took off her cloak when they entered the dining room. She could feel several sets of eyes on her. The feeling was settled when Severus placed a possessive arm around her waist. Part of her resented being treated like a fancy possession, but another part of her loved that he was so protective. They settled into their usual seats and waited for the meeting to commence.

"Good afternoon everyone. We've many to hear from today, so we're just going to jump right into it. Severus, please report to us about the activity of the Death Eaters." Albus Dumbledore said after calling the meeting to order.

"The Dark Lord is getting impatient. He is pressuring his followers to greater and greater stunts that the Death Eaters do not currently have the manpower to fulfill. Soon enough, they'll have to try something. It will be a perfect time for the Order to strike as the followers of the Dark Lord will surely be overextended with whatever sort of scene they choose to start." Severus said.

"What are their numbers?" Kingsley Shacklebolt asked. He was a strictly numbers guy and always wanted to figure out the logistics of every possible battle.

"As always, it is impossible for me to supply an exact number, but there are scant more loyal Death Eaters than Order members at present, and the Dark side hasn't been very effective at recruiting new members in recent months."

"When do you expect them to strike?" Arthur Weasley asked.

"Not for some time yet. I am not aware of any current or developing plans for a major demonstration. It may be months off. I shall, as usual, provide the Order with any information possible to coordinate a counter attack as soon as any word reaches me."

The meeting went on for hours. It seemed as though everyone except for Brenna had some kind of report to make. She usually had to report, but the Minister was on holiday between Christmas Eve and January 2nd of the New Year. The entire office had been put on call for the duration of the holiday.

The meeting had run considerably longer than anticipated from everyone giving reports and planning. Severus then had to stay after to speak to the Headmaster about something privately. Brenna waited in the hallway. Harry and Ron stayed near her.

"What's with the get-up, Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"If you must know, Severus and I are going dancing." she replied. The boys were not as mean to her anymore, but they were always on the defensive from the beginning of every conversation. Brenna found it rather tiring to talk to them.

"Dancing!? Snape dances?" Ron asked, utterly flabbergasted. Brenna rather enjoyed his expression.

"Close your mouth, Ron, or something may fly in there." she smirked. Ron gaped like a fish for a moment before closing his mouth.

"C'mon Ron. Let's leave her to wait for Professor Twinkle Toes." Harry said, pulling Ron up the stairwell. Brenna had to wait only a moment longer before Severus came out of the dining room wearing his cloak and carrying hers.

"Thank you," she murmured as he wrapped the cloak around her. She fastened it around her neck, and they were off to a night of laughter, love, and revelry.

They spent the week relaxing at Malfoy Manor and having regular dates. It was heavenly to have Severus around all the time. They minded all of Father's rules and stayed within public areas of the house at all times.

The only time they were really apart was when Severus had to go to Lucius' poker night the night before he was due to leave. Brenna was certain Father had scheduled one for that night just to keep her and Severus from going out somewhere terribly romantic. He promised he'd cash out early so they could spend a little more time together before bed.

Draco was always the first to leave, so Brenna waited for him to come back to his room first. He was meeting Pansy in Diagon Alley the following day, and Brenna had promised to help him choose an outfit to wear. Sure enough, he was upstairs after less than an hour. Brenna had already gotten out a few things she thought he should wear. Draco went with her first choice of outfit- dark wash jeans with a green button-up shirt and warm but soft black robes. It was comfortable and casual while still looking a appropriate for a date. The bonus was that the robe was so nice to touch that Pansy probably wouldn't be able to resist touching it often. Once Draco was satisfied, Brenna went to the second floor sitting room where she had arranged to meet Severus. Dolce had elected to stay in Draco's room for the time being. She was rather comfortably resting on his pillow when Brenna left.

It was a clear night, so Brenna stepped close to the windows so she could look at the stars. It was terribly cold outside. Brenna could see her breath even in the sitting room. She hoped Severus wouldn't be much longer or she might be a popsicle.

After a few minutes of star gazing and thinking, Brenna noticed that her breath had fogged up a large portion of the glass where she was standing. Just for fun, Brenna wrote her name in the fog. Brenna Honoria Malfoy. At an impulse she added the name Snape to the end. This would be her proper married name. It was long, but she rather liked it. She wasn't one to just give up her family time. It had taken her a year or more to stop thinking of herself as Hermione Jean Granger. Underneath she neatly wrote Mrs. Severus Snape. She liked that one too. She looked at the two versions of her future name in silence.

She didn't hear Severus come in, but she felt the warmth when his long arms wrapped around her. She leaned back a little. He began to kiss her neck very gently. Brenna sighed and tilted her head to expose more of her neck.

"Trying on my name already?" he whispered into her ear a few moments later. Brenna stiffened. She'd forgotten to erase her musings. She moved to wipe the fog away, but he held both of her hands down. "Don't be embarrassed. I think it's darling," he whispered again.

"It's silly. We've still got at least one more year of this," she said, freeing a hand and wiping it all away. She had so much enjoyed their time together since Christmas, and it was frustrating to know that she would have to say goodbye to him tomorrow morning. She probably wouldn't see him again for five or six months.

"Just one more year, love. Then we can get married and I'll be able to take you to Hogwarts with me if you want." he said.

"I just miss you so much when you're at work." she said, turning and wrapping her arms around him. She breathed in deeply the scent of his cologne.

"I miss you too. I'll try to arrange it with Albus so I can at least have a few hours after some meetings free. Then we could at least have a chance to see each other, even if it's just a few hours," he said quietly.

"That would be wonderful. Meetings were so torturous this fall," she said.

"I know. It was terrible for me as well. To see you and smell you but not be able to touch you and kiss you." he said, "It was almost too much. And then there were the meetings where I had to rush off immediately after, and we didn't even get a kiss. We'd barely get to say goodbye."

"I hate saying goodbye," she said. They kissed slowly. They settled onto the couch where they huddled for warmth while talking and try to press the other one into his or her body. Eventually, when it was very late and very cold, they decided to go to bed. Brenna didn't sleep well, despite her weariness.

Breakfast in the morning was a solemn affair. After breakfast, Severus and Brenna walked out to the front porch to say goodbye. Brenna was already beginning to cry as they were walking down the marble staircase.

"Please, don't cry." he said, wiping her eyes with the pads of his thumbs. Brenna looked at him, her eyes still watery.

"I'm just so sad to see you go. I'll miss you every minute, Severus Snape."

"I'll miss you every minute as well. I love you, Brenna Malfoy. I'll find a way to see you as much as I can, I promise you that," he said quietly.

"And we can still write." she said, almost as though she were trying to convince herself. They stood as near to each other as they could and still fully look at each other.

"We can do this, Bren. We'll be okay." he replied. They kissed passionately on the porch. When the kiss broke, Severus took a step back so they were standing with their hands meeting and nothing else.

"I can't say good bye to you again, so I'll say see you later. See you later, Brenna." he said.

"See you later, Severus." she choked out. She released his hands and he was gone. She couldn't hold back her tears any more. They fell freely as she returned to the warmth and relative safety of home.


	24. Chapter 24 Breaking All the Rules

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 24- Breaking All the Rules

Brenna sobbed her way back through the door and managed to close it. She felt someone's soft arms wrap around her and soon she was crying into Mother's shoulder while the woman patted her hair and whispered to her soothingly. They managed to walk to the ladies parlor after a few minutes. Mother summoned a house elf to bring them some tea.

"There there, dearest. I know it's hard. It was hard when your father would leave my parents' house, and he was only going on business trips for a week or so. I can't imagine what you must go through with Severus being gone for half a school year at a time." Narcissa said.

"It's just so hard. It's like we go through phases where he's here and we spend all of our time together. Then the next time I turn around he's gone again and I have to go for so long without even seeing him," she cried.

"Such is the life of a professor. I'm sure it will be easier when you're married. You can stay in the castle with him or live in Hogsmeade where you can see him more regularly. Such is the life of the wife of a Hogwarts professor." By this point Brenna's tears had largely stopped, reduced to just the occasional sniffle. She was still sad, but a witch only had so many tears to shed before the wells ran dry.

She had to go to work the next day, which was a big help in recovering. She may have hated her job, but it was a good distraction from her life. She plastered on a smile just so people wouldn't ask her what was wrong. After a year of wearing non-revealing clothing and taking her work very seriously, Brenna was starting to be viewed as a professional not the office eye candy. She did have the opportunity to speak with a lot of witches and wizards as they passed into and from the Minister's office. She read and wrote much of his correspondence. She didn't have a lot of friends in the office because she worked directly under the Minister. People would straighten up and work diligently when she walked into a room, even though she could tell they'd been laughing about something. They all presumed she would tell the Minister, even though she never told him anything. It was something she had come to terms with.

Severus wrote to her that Dumbledore would allow him two hours of leave after every Order meeting that occurred on a weekend. That meant that she'd get to have more time with him about once a fortnight. It wasn't a lot, but it was more than they'd had before. She was pleased. She wrote to Severus about her job, how dull it was. Severus wrote to her about school, sometimes adding a funny story about something that happened in class.

Father's anger grew as the war progressed. He was starting to become a little wild-eyed sometimes. Brenna and the rest of the family recognized these as times when they needed to lay low and keep out of his way. He'd bruised Brenna's wrists and arms a few more times, but she didn't tell Severus. She didn't know what he would do, but she was pretty sure it would include storming the house and at least threatening her father. That, she knew, would only make things worse.

Brenna told Draco about what Severus said about the bruises. He agreed that it was probably not the best recourse as long as her injuries were so minor. She showed him the bruises each time.

Brenna found relaxation in her garden. She hadn't planted as much as the previous year because it was difficult to keep up with the full garden while working full time. Instead, she planted only the front half. It was still plenty of work. Perhaps next year she'd be able to tackle the whole garden again, but with work and Order meetings it was just too much.

That spring was Mother and Father's 25th wedding anniversary. Father decided to surprise Mother with a second honeymoon trip to the Caribbean. Draco and Brenna would be left home alone for two weeks. They tried to contain their glee. The siblings stood obediently in the entry hall and listened to Father's rules on the day their parents were leaving.

"Children, while your mother and I are gone I expect you to still mind certain rules. Stay out of my office. Don't pig out on junk food. Go to work every day. And, most importantly, NO GUESTS." Lucius lectured, eyeing them dangerously.

"Father we're twenty years old. We're not children. We'll be fine. You and Mother have fun and try to relax." Brenna said. Father glared at her but left without saying anything else. Brenna was amazed; she never got to get the last word in a conversation with her father.

The first week they were gone it was business as usual. Brenna and Draco co-existed quite happily in the house. They usually stuck in the same part though, as the manor felt even more enormous with just the two of them there. When Brenna left for the Order meeting it was the easiest sneaking away she'd ever had. She just told Draco she was going out for a bit, and she'd be back later. He didn't ask any questions just nodded and returned to his book.

On Thursday night of the second week, Brenna woke to the sound of Draco yelling her name. He sounded terrified, so she jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs. Draco was on the second floor, wearing Death Eater robes covered in blood. The scary part was that he was basically holding up Severus, who was similarly clad.

"Brenna! He's hurt really bad! We've got to help him." Draco said.

"Put him in the green room. I'm going to run back upstairs and get my healing book." she ordered. She turned and ran while Draco dragged Severus down the hall. She heard him groan weakly. As quickly as she could, she grabbed the book and raced back downstairs. Draco had already laid the Potions Master on the bed and had carefully sliced away his robes and shirt. Brenna was somewhat horrified to see her suitor's body bruised and bloody. Severus looked up at her, his eyes full of pain and fear. He could die from these wounds. The worst part was that, because of the circumstances, she couldn't take him to St. Mungo's or hand him off to the Order. He'd be arrested at St. Mungo's when they saw the Death Eater robes, and sending for Dumbledore would out both of their Order involvement. His only hope was her, her book, and anything she and Draco could get their hands on.

"Draco, go and get the first aid kit." she ordered, "and take off that bloody robe." He nodded and rushed out of the room. Brenna snapped her fingers summoning a house elf. Smocky appeared before her.

"Yes, Miss Brenna?" he said.

"Smocky. I need you to bring me some hot water and clean cloth immediately. Then go to my garden and pull some of the plants nearest the gate. I'll also need a cutting board and a clean, sharp knife. Hurry." she ordered. The house elf nodded and disappeared.

She laid a hand of Severus' cheek. "It's going to be okay, love, I'm here." She took her wand and ran a quick diagnostic spell on him. The most pressing problems were few broken ribs that had punched a hole in his lung. That was why he was having a lot of trouble breathing. She knew how to fix his ribs- she'd just been rereading the bone chapter yesterday. Unfortunately there was no magical way to fix it. She could reset the bones magically, but she couldn't heal them. Resetting them was probably going to hurt a lot, but she couldn't wait for Draco to return with potions.

"This is going to hurt, but it will help you breath." she said. She waved her wand over his chest and the bones audibly clicked back into place. Severus howled in pain and passed out. Brenna looked up the spell for repairing his lung and quickly performed it. By this time, Smocky had delivered the water and cloth. She wet a piece and set to the task of carefully mopping the blood from his body, healing cuts as she went. Fortunately, most of the cuts weren't serious. Draco returned with the first aid kit about the time Smocky brought a handful of plants, a wooden cutting board and a knife.

"I'm sorry it took so long. I had to find it." Draco said apologetically. Snape looked a lot better than when he left, but that wasn't saying much. Brenna recast the diagnostic spell over Severus and rooted around for Potions inside the kit. She pulled out a blood replenishing potion, a calming draught, and a pain potion. All of these she calmly poured down Severus' throat, massaging his neck gently to make sure they were swallowed. She then set to cutting up the plants Smocky brought and crushing them into a paste. She'd been pleased Smocky had brought lots of the fenugreek she'd directed him to. She smeared the paste lightly over Severus' recently healed ribs and wrapped his chest tightly with a roll of bandages from the first aid kit. She then declared she'd done everything she could for Severus right now. He appeared to be resting comfortably. She, however, was exhausted and running on pure adrenheline. She washed her hands and turned to Draco.

"Now, do you have any cuts or injuries I should know about?" she asked, scanning him quickly with her wand. He seemed a little shaken but physically fine.

"No, most of the blood on my robes was his. I'm fine." Draco replied, sitting in the armchair.

"Good, then you can tell me what happened." Brenna said. Draco sighed.

"We were at a meeting. Someone had brought a Muggle to torture for entertainment. Now don't look at me like that! You know I don't like any of that stuff, and neither does he! Anyway, we got interrupted when a few members of the Order attacked. Severus got caught in the crossfire. He was knocked into a wall. I managed to get him out of there before the authorities showed up." Draco said. Brenna nodded. She handed him a vial of calming draught.

"Thank you for telling me. You need to rest. Take this and go to bed. I'm going to stay down here tonight in case he needs me." Brenna said wearily. It was nearly morning already. She'd been hard at work for hours. Draco drank the potion immediately and headed upstairs to bed. Brenna slept in the chair for a while until Severus stirred in his sleep. It was evident that he was having a nightmare. She crawled onto the bed beside him and kissed his forehead, whispering to him until the nightmare stopped. She didn't want to give him a Dreamless Sleep potion on top of all the other potions he'd taken.

It was then she realized there was enough room on the bed that she could rest on the other side and not disturb Severus at all. It was decidedly more comfortable than the chair. She curled up on the bed and fell asleep.

Brenna woke up to the feel of someone stroking her hand. She opened her eyes to find Severus awake. His head had turned to her, and his hand was gently holding hers, his thumb circling the back of her hand.

"My angel." he whispered. His voice was unusually breathy.

"Shhh, love, don't try to talk," she said gently. She sat up and recast the diagnostic spell. He was medically fine other than the bruising and residual tiredness. Brenna grabbed another pain potion from the bag and helped him to drink it. Tippy popped in at that moment, balancing two trays.

"Tippy has brought breakfast for you and Mr. Snape, Miss." the elf said. She sat the tray on a small table in a corner of the room. "Is there anything Miss would like Tippy to do now, Miss?"

"No, thank you, Tippy. When my brother finishes breakfast, would you please tell him I'd like to see him?" Brenna requested.

"Tippy will do as you have asked, Miss." the elf responded before disappearing.

"Do you think you could manage some broth?" Brenna asked Severus. He nodded. "We'll have to prop you up a little so you don't choke. Help me a little if you can." she said. She lifted his torso carefully and magically summoned the pillows to arrange themselves behind his back. She eased him back gently. The effort of propping him up had caused them both some stress. She had sweat on her brow, and he grimaced in pain.

"This is… much better," he said quietly.

"You don't look like it's much better. You look like that hurt." Brenna said, looking at him with concern.

"I'll be fine, angel. Now I believe that elf said something about breakfast?" he said. Brenna smiled at him and handed him a mug filled with broth. He managed to drink it himself while she ate the oatmeal that had been brought for her.

"I need to get word to the Headmaster about my being here." Severus said as he finished breakfast.

"I'll Floo him in a bit. It's still early enough that he'll be at breakfast right now." Brenna replied. "You're not doing anything today but resting and healing. You've got three broken ribs, and they'd appreciate it if you stayed still for a while." Brenna said, stacking their dishes back on the tray and sending it away.

"How did you even know how to take care of me in the first place?" he asked.

"Well, I know the plants in my garden quite well. One of them is serving as a poultice to reduce the swelling around your ribs. The spells came from that book on healing you got me for Christmas." Brenna explained.

"I'm so glad I got you that instead of a book about Quidditch." Severus said. He tried to laugh, making an odd wheezing sound, but it clearly hurt. He stopped very soon after he started. There was a knock at the door and Draco came in.

"Good morning, all. Brenna, you needed to see me?" he asked.

"Yes, I need you to keep Severus company while I get dressed and make a Floo call." Brenna said. "I shouldn't be more than half an hour. Don't let him get up." She kissed Severus on the forehead and walked out of the room.

When she shut the door, Severus turned to Draco.

"Draco, you've got to help me get out of this bed." Severus said.

"Are you crazy? She just told me not to let you out of that bed." Draco said.

"Unless you can come up with another way both of us are comfortable with, I suggest you help me get out of this bed so I can use the loo." Severus sneered. He'd been holding it for far too long. Draco paused for a moment, clearly thinking.

"We've got to get you out of that bed." Draco said. He came over and assisted his former professor and likely future brother-in-law out of bed. Once he was standing, Severus was able to walk slowly to the loo on his own.

***

Brenna took what was probably the fastest shower on record and dressed in clean clothing. She pulled her hair into a quick but messy bun. Fifteen minutes later she was standing at the door to Lucius' office about to break another of his rules. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

***

Albus Dumbledore had just returned to his office from breakfast when the fire suddenly burned green. He paused and watched Brenna Malfoy step elegantly out of it. She was dressed much more casually than he'd ever seen a Malfoy, but she was looking at him pointedly.

"What can I do for you, Miss Malfoy?" he asked, gesturing for her to sit as he sat at his desk. The young witch shook her head politely.

"I thought you might like a report on your Potions Master." she said.

"Oh good, I was hoping you had information for me." the Headmaster replied.

"He was injured last night. Draco brought him home, and I managed to heal him. He's currently in no shape to come back right away, but I probably won't be able to keep him captive again tomorrow." Brenna said.

"Thank you for taking care of him. If you'd like, I can have Poppy come over to check him over."

"That won't be necessary. He has a few broken ribs that I have already set. All he needs is time for the blood replenishing potions to fully kick in and for his bones to begin to heal. As you know, magic can speed the healing process along, but it still isn't instantaneous." Brenna replied. "I'll be staying home today to keep watch over him, Draco will be heading to work soon if you feel the need to check on him yourself."

"I trust him in your care. Please keep me apprised if anything changes. I'll find someone to cover his classes until he returns." the old man said. He turned his attention to the pile of mail on his desk, and Brenna returned home. She stood in her father's office once again, grumbling about what an insufferable man Dumbledore could be. He didn't seem remorseful at all that Severus had been injured when the Order attacked a Death Eater meeting.

The following day Severus was indeed feeling much better. He allowed Brenna to change the bandages around his chest before he dressed to return to Hogwarts. He kissed her on the front porch before he apparated away.

AN- Well, so we've got a crazy angry father, and, because of circumstances really beyond her control, Brenna managed to break ALL of her father's rules in a single day. DRAMA!


	25. Chapter 25 Back to Grimmauld Place

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 25- Back to Grimmauld Place

Draco and Brenna had another two days to themselves before Mother and Father were due to return. They meticulously erased any signs of everything they had done, from the books that were left out around the house to the use of Severus' room. Brenna felt quite satisfied when she left for work Monday morning that everything was perfectly in order.

When Brenna returned home from another long day at work, she was summoned to her Father's office. She was a little worried because he didn't usually send for her or Draco unless they were in trouble. He'd been growing steadily less predictable, which was worrisome as well. There was no way he could know what had transpired in his absence. He was probably calling her in to question her. She hadn't seen Draco yet to know if he'd been questioned. It was always easier if they had a chance to figure out their story. She schooled her expression into a relaxed one before knocking and entering the office. Lucius was standing by the fireplace.

"You disobeyed my rules," he said simply.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, Father. Draco and I were very mindful of your regulations while you were gone." Brenna said. Lucius crossed the room and slapped her hard across the cheek.

"Don't LIE to me! I know you came into my office and used the Floo on Friday morning. Who were you calling?" Lucius demanded. He stood over her looking menacing.

"Hogwarts. I had to speak to Professor Dumbledore," she said, crying a little. The look of pure evil in his eyes was terrifying. This was not the gentle father she'd met almost two years ago.

"And why did you have to speak to the Headmaster? Tell me the truth now, I'll know if you don't." Lucius growled, pushing her against the wall.

"I-I had to tell him that Severus wouldn't be there." Brenna cried. Lucius grabbed her arm and twisted it. Brenna cried out.

"And where was Severus?" he shouted.

"He- He was here! He was injured!" she cried. He'd done something to her wrist. Lucius slammed her sideways into the bookshelf. She hit the structure hard and tumbled to the floor. She could taste blood now, and her ears were ringing.

"I told you that you were not to have ANYONE over while I was gone! Furthermore, I saw your sodding suitor this afternoon, and he was in good health. You chose to invite your lover over for a good time under my roof! Slut!" he yelled, throwing books down on her where she was crumpled on the floor. Brenna raised her arms to protect her head.

"Get up, you little whore. Get up," he said. When she didn't move, he grabbed her roughly and pulled her off the floor. By this point, Brenna was bloody and shaking. She'd taken advantage of the free second to grab her wand and hex her own father. He roared in anger as he was blasted into the wall. She fled from the room before he could recover. Unfortunately, she tripped in her heels as she tried to run out the door. She screamed as her ankle twisted and she fell to the floor. Mother and Draco ran out from different rooms on the second floor. Mother raised her wand and sealed the door of Lucius' office as he continued yelling profanities from behind the thick wooden door.

"Oh, Brenna. I'm so sorry; we didn't even know you were home. Now we've got to get you out of here. Draco, take her upstairs and pack as many of her things as you can. Lock the doors and don't let her out of your sight." Mother ordered, fighting the urge to cry. She knew Lucius was angry and unpredictable, and she hated that he had hurt one of her children. Draco gently collected Brenna from the floor and helped her hobble down the corridor. She saw Mother disappear into the family dining room.

Narcissa ran to the fireplace in the kitchen, ignoring the myriad of house elves trying to help her. She threw in a handful of Floo powder and knelt at the grate.

"Severus Snape's quarters, Hogwarts!" she shouted, near hysterics. In an instant she was looking into Severus' main living area.

"Severus!" she shouted. He bustled out of one of the side rooms.

"Narcissa, what's wrong?" he said, seeing her.

"There's an emergency! You've got to come through immediately!" she shouted urgently. Severus nodded and moved to the fireplace. Narcissa back away and had time to stand up before Severus stepped through, his wand drawn.

He was taken aback to arrive in the Malfoy kitchen. There were easily a hundred house elves standing around, watching their mistress and now him.

"What happened, Narcissa? Where's the emergency?" he asked.

"Lucius just found out about your having stayed here one night last week," she said.

"I swear to you on my honor as a wizard that nothing happened. I was injured and she healed me." Severus said quickly.

"I know; Draco told me all about it. Lucius beat Brenna terribly though. We need you to take her and hide her somewhere safe. It's not safe for her to be here anymore." Narcissa said, pulling him up a flight of stone steps that led to the family dining room.

"Where is she?" he asked, worried.

"She's in her room with Draco. He's packing her things. I've sealed Lucius where he is for now, but it won't last forever. You've got to get her out of here." He followed her as they walked hurredly up to the third floor and to Brenna's room. Narcissa took a deep breath and mumbled a long stream of words while running her hand down the door. There was a click as the door unlocked.

Inside was a heartbreaking scene. Draco was cramming a trunk full of everything he could from the closet. Brenna was curled up on the bed crying. Severus rushed over to her.

"I'm so sorry, angel. It's okay now; I'm here. You're safe." he whispered. She looked terrible. Her face was swollen. The areas that weren't bloody were blotchy from emotion and bruising. Her robes were torn and smeared with her blood.

"Hurry, Draco. We don't have much time." Narcissa urged. Draco crammed in the last few things and slammed the trunk shut, shrinking and making it very lightweight. He tossed it to Severus who placed it in his pocket. Narcissa had scooped up Dolce and shoved the cat into a travel basket. This too was given to Severus. He was, at this point, slowly raising Brenna from the bed. He noticed that she held her right arm close into her body. He whispered soothingly to her as they slowly walked down the stairs.

"Go now, Severus. Hide her somewhere very safe, and keep her there until I tell you it's okay." Narcissa instructed as they reached the marble stairwell. The cracks in the seal over Lucius' office were very obvious. He would be free in a matter of minutes, and he would be very angry.

"You should come with us. I can hide all of you." Severus urged, worried for their safety.

"We'll be fine. Hide her, and we'll deal with Father." Draco said, his wand already pointed at the office door. Severus scooped up Brenna and hurtled down the stairs as quickly as he could. As soon as he was out the front door his apparated them away, hearing a loud yell that could only be Lucius breaking through the seal at last.

***

They reappeared at the safest place Severus could think of to keep Brenna for a long time- Grimmauld Place. She passed out with a quiet groan as soon as they reappeared. Severus ran into the house.

"Molly! I need your help! Bring the medical kit!" he bellowed as soon as they entered the house. He took Brenna to the dining room and laid her carefully on the table. He pushed back his sleeves to get to work. Molly Weasley bustled into the room from the kitchen.

"Severus, what is- Oh Merlin! I'll be right back." Molly said. There was pounding on the stairs as Harry and Ron ran down them. They too burst into the dining room to find Snape waving his wand furiously over Brenna while Mrs. Weasley washed her face gently with warm water so that they could see where the blood stopped and the injuries began.

"Potter, Weasley, find me a blood replenishing potion, a pain potion, and some bruise paste!" he barked. They scurried obediently to the cabinet where all the medical supplies were kept. Snape himself made sure that they were completely stocked with every potion or paste needed to cure minor ailments. They quickly found the correct potions in neatly labeled vials and a jar of paste. Severus gave her the necessary potions while Molly gently dabbed the paste over her eye, which was currently swollen shut. Snape them mended her strained wrist and sprained ankle.

At some point Brenna woke up, and tears leaked from the one eye that could.

"What happened, Severus?" Molly asked. She removed Brenna's robe, leaving the witch in white pants and a white tank top. It allowed them to make sure she had no further bleeding.

"Lucius found out that I had been at Malfoy Manor to recover last week. He didn't take the news well." Severus explained, "Dreamless Sleep, Potter." He held out his hand. The potion was quickly slapped into his open hand. He uncorked it and leaned over Brenna.

"Goodnight, my angel. Now it's time to sleep," he whispered, gently feeding her the potion.

"Where can we put her? What bedrooms are free?" he asked.

"Ginny's room on the second floor. None of the others are clean." Molly explained.

"Lead the way." Severus said. He carefully scooped the sleeping Brenna back off the table. He carried her up to the second floor to the bedroom that Molly indicated. He placed Brenna gently on the twin-sized bed.

"This will do for a while." Molly said.

"She may be here for a long time, Molly. We'll have to work on cleaning a room for her to use. She can't go home, and I can't take her to Hogwarts with me. That will be the first place Lucius goes to look for her." Severus said. He gently pushed her hair away from her sleeping face.

"Then she'll stay here. I'll be glad for the company during the day anyway while everyone else is at work. We'll start cleaning a room for her use in the morning." Molly said.

The next morning Brenna woke feeling incredibly sore. She heard a small noise and turned her head to see Mrs. Weasley sitting in a chair knitting.

"Mrs. Weasley?" she asked quietly.

"Oh you're awake. How do you feel, dear?" the woman asked kindly. Brenna was starting to remember how much Hermione had liked Molly Weasley.

"Sore… and hungry." she replied. Molly laughed.

"Here you go dear, this should help with the pain. As for hunger I'll have to leave my post to go get you something to eat, but hopefully Severus won't be too angry since you're awake." Molly replied, handing her a vial.

"Severus is here?" she asked hopefully, trying to understand. She knew from the décor that she was in Ginny's room at Grimmauld Place. Ginny had been using this room for years. She seemed to recall that the youngest Weasley was visiting at Bill & Fleur's.

"Oh my yes. He didn't leave your bedside all night. He asked me to stay in here and watch you while he went downstairs to talk to Albus. I'll tell him you're awake now though, and I'm sure he'll be right up to see you." Molly prattled on. Brenna swallowed the pain potion and did start to feel better.

"Actually, I think that I might want to get up." she said. She slowly sat up in the bed and turned her legs. Molly jumped up to help her. "I need to use the loo."

"I know you probably don't need help, but I'm going to stick with you for a while anyway. You've got no depth perception right now, and we don't want you running into anything or falling down the stairs." Molly said.

Molly followed her down the corridor to the nearest loo, where she waited at the door while Brenna showered, brushed her teeth, and washed her face. She was so glad Draco had thrown some of her toiletries in her trunk. She would have requested it if she'd been able to comprehend anything at that point. Seeing herself in the mirror was quite shocking. One of her eyes was swollen shut. She had bruises along her face and on her arms and legs. She was glad that she was able to move her wrist and ankle normally.

Molly was waiting to follow her back to her room when Brenna reappeared wearing a towel and carrying her clothing in a bundle in front of her. She waited outside Ginny's room while Brenna changed into loose pants that wouldn't upset her bruises or sore muscles and a tee shirt. She walked downstairs very carefully. She heard Severus and the Headmaster in the living room.

"She needs to go back, Severus. We need her in that position. We need her spying on her family now as well." Albus said.

"She's not going back. I will not allow it!" Severus growled.

"Like it or not, you have no legal claim to her. You cannot speak for her."

"Neither can you, old man."

Brenna gathered that she was the topic of conversation, so she knocked quietly and let herself in.

"Brenna! What are you doing out of bed?" Severus asked, walking over to her. "Molly, what is she doing out of bed?"

"Oh don't fuss, Severus. I wanted to get up. I can get up. I've been up for a while now, and I'm doing just fine, aren't I Mrs. Weasley?"

"She is doing fine. I've been following her since she got up. She's a little stiff and slow, but she's fine." Molly said. Severus looked at his girlfriend appraisingly.

"Honestly Severus, I'm fine. Right now, I'm going to the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley is going to make me something to eat. I didn't get dinner last night, so I'm rather hungry. I gather that the conversation that you two were having concerns me, so I'll thank you to put this conversation on hold until after I've had something to eat." she said. She turned slowly and shuffled out of the room toward the kitchen. Molly followed on her heels.

Apparently it still qualified as morning, though everyone who worked was at work. She gathered that Severus had taken a day off to stay with her, and the Headmaster had popped in unannounced. She sat at the table in the dining room and was soon presented with a mammoth stack of pancakes and several pieces of bacon. She happily tucked in. After eating she felt better. It was rough to have a stomach full of potions with very little food in there.

"Thank you very much for breakfast, Mrs. Weasley. It was wonderful," she said.

"You're very welcome dear, and please, call me Molly."

"Thank you, Molly. I'm afraid I have to go see what those two are arguing about now." Brenna replied. She rose slowly from the table. It was more difficult to move if she'd been sitting for a while. She walked slowly back down the hall, trailing her fingers lightly against the wall to keep her bearings. Finally she arrived at the living room. Severus and the Headmaster were still there. The Headmaster looked relaxed and casual while Severus looked grumpy and was occasionally glaring at the other wizard. Brenna took a seat next to Severus. "Now, what are you two arguing about?"

"Albus here wants me to take you home straightaway. He thinks you need to go back to spying at work and perform additional spying on your family for the good of the Order." Severus grumped. "I told him the day I take you back there will be the day Merlin rises from the grave and dances the hula."

"Perhaps it would help, Miss Malfoy, if you could tell us more about what happened. Severus was told some by your Mother, and he in turn shared this information with me. I would, though, like to hear from you what happened." Albus said.

"Well, Headmaster, I'm sure you're aware that my father has been growing steadily more insane the last year or so. When I came home from work yesterday, he summoned me to his office. Inside the office he questioned me and beat me or threw me in to things when he either didn't like the answer or he detected that I was lying to him. Finally I was able to hex him and run out the door while he shouted profanity at me. All the noise attracted Mother and Draco who saved me. I'm pretty sure that if I hadn't been able to get that door open when I did, Father would have wounded me even worse than this or perhaps even killed me." Brenna explained.

"How did no one hear him throwing you around earlier?" Albus asked, concern etched in his face.

"Father's office is very heavily sound proofed. They had no idea I was even home until I was sprawled across the hallway and Father was shouting, calling me a whore and a slut. Draco took me up to my room and started packing my things as quickly as he could." Brenna replied.

"Your mother, meanwhile cast a sealing charm, temporarily blocking Lucius in his office. She Flooed for me to come from the Manor's kitchen. She practically begged me to take you away and hide you somewhere. She made me promise not to bring you back until she sent word to me that it was safe for you to return." Severus said to Brenna.

"Then I will not return to Malfoy Manor until Mother deems it safe." Brenna said, matter-of-factly.

"Yes, I suppose you'll have to stay here for the time being." Dumbledore conceded.

AN- This will have to hold everyone until after the holiday. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.


	26. Chapter 26 A New Room & A Fight

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 26- A New Room & A Fight

After conversing with the Headmaster a bit more, he had to return to the school, and she was left alone with Severus. She waited until she was certain they were alone before turning to him.

"Thank you for rescuing me, Prince Charming." she whispered, touching the side of his face gently.

"You're very welcome, my angel." he replied before leaning down to kiss her. They gradually scooted closer to each other until she was sitting practically on his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder for a while. They sat in complete silence just enjoying each other's company.

"What am I going to do, Severus?" she sighed.

"What do you mean?" he asked, stroking her arm lightly.

"I can't go home. I can't go back to work. What am I going to do?"

"You're going to stay here, recover, and help the Order from the safety of Grimmauld Place." he said.

"I feel badly for Mother and Draco. They're still with him, aren't they?"

"Yes. I offered to bring them with me. There's room here that all of you could be safe, but Narcissa was very adamant that they were not in danger. If it would make you feel better, I'll write to Draco frequently to find out how things are there. I can even send them correspondence from you if you'd like."

"That would be good. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do here to support the Order," she said.

"Well, you can work on replenishing the medical potions and pastes. I can't keep up with it well during the school year. Then you can help Molly with feeding everyone who stays here and the many others who visit for meals. You can read and study medicine here. When this comes to a final battle, we'll need people who know how to help the wounded. Poppy alone won't be able to help everyone, most likely. You already know a lot, but think of how much more you could learn with the unrestricted study time here. I could bring you books from Hogwarts to read as well." he proposed. Brenna's mind perked up at the idea of studying medicine and all the time she'd have here while everyone was at work.

"Do you think I should tell them? About, you know, the way things used to be?" she asked.

"If you want to, you should. I know how close you used to be with the Weasley's and how much you hate the lying to them. When you feel comfortable here, if you still want to, you could tell them. I would start with telling Molly alone though. She's the best at keeping secrets, and she will give you an idea of how the others will react." Severus said.

"I'm so glad you're around. Do I get to see more of you if I'm here?" she asked hopefully.

"Well, given that you're away from your family. I figure I can get away at least briefly once a week or so outside of meeting times. Sometimes it might be late though, after my evening rounds," he said.

"I would wait up all night for you," she said, kissing him.

There was a knock on the door and Molly popped her head in.

"Oh, sorry you two. I'll leave you alone," she said quickly.

"Oh, Molly, wait." Brenna said quickly. The older witch stopped. "Did you need one of us for something?"

"Well, I was going to get started cleaning a room for you, but I thought I'd see if you wanted to pick out your room." she said.

"Oh a project! That sounds wonderful!" She climbed carefully off the sofa and gestured for Severus to come with them. They wandered through many of the upstairs bedrooms before Brenna found one she liked. She chose a room that was on the third floor, one floor up from Harry and the Weasley's. It wasn't that she considered herself better than them. It's just that she liked to have some privacy, and no one else was staying on the third floor. There was one room that was a bit larger and had a balcony, so that was the one she chose.

Mrs. Weasley and Severus set to work immediately at cleaning the dust from everything. In a few minutes, everything was clean and shining. Severus went downstairs briefly to retrieve her trunk and Dolce from Ginny's room. He came back and returned her trunk to normal size. Brenna happily scooped up her cat, holding him tight to her chest. Mrs. Weasley headed downstairs to make lunch. There were three of them, plus Ron and Harry frequently came back over their lunch break.

"I'm afraid I'm not so good at interior decorating. That's going to have to wait until you can do it yourself." Severus said. Brenna had stretched out across her new bed. It wasn't as comfortable as the one she'd left at Malfoy Manor, but it was still quite nice. Plus, it was a queen-sized bed, so Severus was able to lay down beside her with Dolce between them.

"Does the two year rule still apply?" she asked him. Severus looked at her curiously for a moment before he realized what she was talking about.

"I think it's fairly safe to say that we are no longer bound by the courtship contract by this point. I still think though, that's it's a good idea to wait to get engaged."

"Are you saying that you don't want to marry me now! Is it just because I've been beaten! You are a terrible human being, Severus Snape!" she yelled at him. She had jumped off the bed and ran from the room. He followed her down to the front hall.

"Merlin, witch, stop!" he yelled. She turned and glared at him.

"How dare you order me around! You don't even want to marry me anymore, just because I've probably been disowned! You were probably only interested in me because of the money I'll inherit when my father kicks the bucket!" she shouted, pointing at him accusingly.

"Don't you dare accuse me to that! Merlin, witch, I'm beginning to see how you drove your father insane! You won't even listen to me! You've always been insufferable! How quickly I forgot how you can be!" Snape shouted back.

"Get out, Severus Snape! Get out of this house!" she screamed at him. The muscles in her entire body were tight, and her arms were straight down to her sides. His body language was similar.

"Fine." he said, before turning and marching out of the house. Brenna relaxed a little. Her muscles were more stressed and sore now, and her body felt very heavy. She mostly just wanted to go back upstairs and curl up in her bed, but her stomach growled. It was time for lunch. Moping would have to wait until after she'd had something to eat.

She walked into the dining room to find Harry & Ron sitting at one end of the table Molly was in the kitchen putting away the things from the fifth place she'd set beside Brenna's place. She came back and sat at the head of the table beside Brenna. The boys were staring at her wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry you all had to hear that," she said primly, sitting down at the table.

"We've never heard anyone get into an argument with Snape before." Harry said.

"Yeah, most people are too scared of him to yell at him." Ron added.

"Well, he can really be a git sometimes." she said, taking a bite of her soup.

"What happened, deat?" Molly asked very gently.

"He- he said he didn't want to marry me," she said, looking down and willing herself not to cry.

"Was that exactly what he said? Someimes our feelings twist words and you have to look at exactly what was said." Molly replied, touching her arm.

"He said that he thought we should wait. We were courting, you see. It was in the contract that we couldn't become engaged for at least two years. He said we probably weren't bound by the contract anymore though, since I've probably been disowned," she explained.

"What did you want him to do? Did you want him to get on one knee and propose to you today?" Molly asked.

"No, but I didn't want him to make it seem like he didn't want to marry me any time in the near future. I thought we were in love," she said.

"You've got to be getting close to two years now. When is your anniversary?" Molly asked.

"It's June 17." Brenna said.

"That's only 2 months away, and he'll be off at school most of that time. Perhaps there's another reason entirely." Molly reasoned.

"Perhaps you're right. Anyway, he's probably completely steamed at me now. I kicked him out. I'll have to wait for him to calm down." Brenna said, taking another bite of her soup.

"That will be a while probably." Ron interjected. "I'm not sure he's ever anything but unhappy." Molly looked at him sternly. Brenna looked worried.

"I hope it doesn't take too long." she said.

"Well, how long does it normally take him to calm down?" Molly asked.

" I-I don't know. We've never really had a fight before. We don't normally see each other often enough to fight, and it would be difficult to fight in letters," she admitted.

"Well, why don't you give him the afternoon to cool off, then you can write him tonight." Molly suggested. Brenna nodded. It seemed like as good a plan as any.

"Boys, Brenna is going to be staying with us for a while. She's using one of the bedrooms on the third floor." Molly said. Harry and Ron both nodded. "I expect you all to make an effort to be civil or friendly towards each other. This includes you too Brenna."

"I'm sure we can manage to be civil at least. If you will all excuse me, I feel like I need to go rest for a while. It has been a very exhausting morning." Brenna said. She rose from the table slowly and with care, cleaned her dishes quickly in the kitchen and put them away in the cupboard before going upstairs.

Once upstairs, Brenna lay still on her bed with Dolce lying on the other side. She had been rather unfair to Severus. He had been nothing but good to her, and she overreacted then refused to allow him to explain. She hoped she hadn't ruined this relationship for herself.

She couldn't rest until she felt like she'd done what she could, so she sat down at the small table in her room and wrote a note to Severus. It was short, sweet and to the point.

_Dear Severus,_

_I'm sorry. Can we talk?_

_Love, Brenna_

She walked downstairs and borrowed Harry's owl to send off her note before she went to sleep.

Brenna's outlook on life was a lot better after a nap. She was still very sore though, so she took another pain relief potion and swabbed some cream on her swollen eye. She scratched Dolce behind the ears for a while before picking up the cat and heading down to the main floor.

Molly was knitting in the main living area and listening to the radio. She smiled at Brenna as she walked into the room.

"Are you feeling any better now, dear?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you. I sent a note to Severus. Hopefully he'll either write me back or drop by so we can talk this out." Brenna said.

"It will be fine. You love him, and he loves you. You've just both got to remember to stop and take a deep breath before you get angry. It's something all couples have to master. It's just a bit more dramatic for you two because you've both got tempers." Molly said.

"I knew it had to stop being so easy at some point. We've been seeing each other for over a year and a half, and we'd never had a fight until today. It's just that we don't get to see each other that often except for the summer, so we don't really have the opportunity to fight." Brenna explained.

"It will be fine. You two can work it out." Molly said. "Now introduce me to this cat of yours."

"Oh, this is Dolce. He's about 3 years old. He was a gift from Draco before I started at Hogwarts 7th year." Brenna explained. Dolce looked at Mrs. Weasley and meowed. "You don't have to worry about him. He doesn't bite or scratch. He doesn't destroy things either, but he usually has a scratching post. That's one of the things that was left behind."

"I'll have Ron pick one up tomorrow." Molly replied.

"I'll loan him the key to my Gringott's vault if he'd get it." Brenna said.


	27. Chapter 27 Potions & Cookies

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 27- Potions & Cookies

It was late that night when Severus Snape arrived via Floo at Grimmauld Place. He wasn't really angry with Brenna, hadn't been for hours. It was just hard for him to find a chance to get away once people found out that he was back in the castle again. The whole lower floor of the house was deserted. Severus climbed the stairs carefully and knocked on the door to Brenna's room with some trepidation. There was really no telling what sort of mood she was in or how she would respond to his showing up at her door at nearly midnight. He'd gotten her note, but that didn't necessarily mean that she wasn't still angry. He'd take his chances.

It took a few moments for anything to happen, but Brenna answered the door dressed in her pajamas and wrapped up in a blanket. She looked up at him sadly, then smiled.

"I was hoping you would come," she said quietly, stepping aside for him to enter. Severus walked across the room and sat down at the edge of her armchair.

"I'm sorry that I gave you the impression that I didn't want to marry you, Brenna." ha said, taking a deep breath.

"It's me who should be sorry. I got hot headed and wasn't listening to the words that you were saying. Sometimes I get an idea in my head and it's very difficult to think of anything else. You just said that you didn't want to get married right now, not that you never want to marry me." she replied.

"Exactly. I don't want to get married in the middle of this heinous war. I'd like to marry you afterward, when we'll both be free. Right now the Order dictates most of our movements. I want to know, and I want the whole world to know that it's you and I getting married out of our own free will and our love for each other, not any sort of ploy by the Order. I love you, Brenna."

"I love you too." she replied. They stood and hugged tightly. "I'm glad you were able to come back tonight. Do you have to go right away, or can you stay for a while?"

"I should go. You should be asleep," he said

"Will you lie with me, just for a little while? I want to feel you near me for a while." Brenna said, taking his hands. She lay on the bed and gestured for Severus to lie beside her. He kicked off his shoes and pulled off his robes until he was wearing pants and a button-up shirt. He then climbed into bed next to her and held her close.

"I'll stay just until you fall asleep," he promised.

"Thank you. I feel so safe when I'm with you, and I haven't felt so safe the last couple of days." Brenna said.

"I promise I will do my best to make sure no one hurts you ever again. Now close you eyes. Relax and know that I am here," he whispered, pulling her up against him. Within a few minutes Brenna and Severus were both fast asleep in Brenna's bed.

Severus awoke the next morning having slept better than he usually did. It took a few moments before he started to register things, like the warm body pressed against him or the sunlight streaming in the window. He was lying on his back with Brenna curled up against his side, her arm on his chest. She was even more angelic looking when she was asleep. It took a moment before he looked up at the clock on the wall.

Severus gasped and shot out of bed. It was nearly eight o'clock! He'd be late for work if he didn't hurry. The sudden movement woke Brenna who sat up as he was buttoning up his robe.

"Good morning," she mumbled.

"Good morning, love. I've got to go. I'm going to be late to school. I'll see you later," he said quickly, bending over to kiss her quickly.

"Bye. I love you." she responded, stretching.

"I love you too," he said before running out the door.

Brenna stretched thoroughly before getting out of bed. She had gotten much better in the couple of days since Severus brought her here, but she was still a little sore, especially in the mornings when she hadn't moved for a while. It was lovely to sleep next to him all night, though she'd certainly have preferred a more leisurely wake up.

She eventually rose and walked down the hallway to the nearest loo. She felt much better after a shower.

In the morning, Brenna took stock of the medicinal potions already in the house. According to Molly they still had at least a few doses left of everything Severus kept in stock. Most of them were basic essentials- pain relievers, cooling potions, burn healing paste, bruise healing paste, blood replenishing potions, wound cleaning potions, pepper-up, sober-up, Skele-grow, and various antidotes. These were all potions that Brenna was familiar with brewing. There were a few of the more interesting ones there that were clearly for more war-time purposes- Polyjuice, Wolvesbane, Fire Protection Potion, Invigoration Draught, Strenthening Solution, Draught of Peace, and Veritaserum. These would require more effort and more research for her to brew. All in all, it was a very good starting base for medicinal potions. Severus probably prepared most of the items that he kept on hand at the Hogwarts infirmary.

Sadly, the small potions supply would be vastly inadequate when this all came to a head in the near future. There was bound to be at least one major battle with significant injuries and casualties. There were enough potions in the store to treat about three people. Brenna could see that her first task would be to mass-produce as many of the basic healing supplies as she could. Actually, her first task would be finding lab space and supplies. For the space, she'd check with Molly. For the supplies, she'd ask Severus.

There was a room in the basement that was largely empty except a few old odds and ends. Brenna decided that it would work well as her potions lab. She could transfigure things in the room into the tables and shelves she would need. Molly was hard at work upstairs preparing to feed dinner to significantly more than the usual number of people that evening. There was an Order meeting, and many stayed for dinner afterwards. Brenna was on her own to turn this space into a pristine lab.

She started by cleaning first the ceiling, then the walls, and finally the floor. The bare concrete was cold and depressing, so she transfigured a few blankets and sheets into padding and a large black and white checkered tile on the floor. She put some insulation and basic walls through the rest of the room to ward off the basement chill. She transfigured boxes of miscellaneous items into shelving until she had large shelves along the back wall to hold boxes of vials of finished products. The sidewall shelves were smaller for the various ingredients.

The transfigured a few last items into large wooden tables- three of them to cross the room. These would be for ingredient preparation and brewing. A quick trip upstairs to the library and she was back in her lab space with some potions manuals, parchment, quills and ink.

On one piece of parchment, Brenna wrote the names of the potions she intended to brew. Beside that she wrote the brewing time and approximately how many doses it would take to perform its job on each patient. She then calculated to the best of her abilities the approximate number of people in the Order. Her goal was to have slightly more of each potion than would be required to treat each known Order member. The number of doses she would need allowed Brenna to figure approximately the number of batches of each potion she would need to make. The total amount of brewing was rather staggering.

Next, she drew a rough calendar on another piece of parchment, trying to establish some sort of brewing timeline. From what she could determine, it would take between 8 and 14 months to complete all of the brewing varying based on the number of potions she was able to brew simultaneously, and allowing for the occasional failed batch. It was a long time and a lot of work. Brenna wasn't certain that they had 14 months before the war was over, as quickly as things were escalating, so she wrote the calendar to rotate potions rather than brew an entire stock of one before switching to another. This way, if she ran out of time, there would at least be some stock of everything. This was all information she'd need to show Dumbledore and Severus.

That evening, after a long Order meeting, Brenna asked the Headmaster for a few moments of his time. She told him about her ideas to brew potions that would be needed by the Order before the end of the war. The old wizard was interested to hear of her plans and agreed to send over all the equipment and supplies she would need to complete the task.

In three days time, Brenna was ready to begin brewing. She worked in her lab all day, six days a week. When she wasn't brewing, she was reading books about medicinal magic as well as Muggle books about homeopathic remedies.

With some regularity people would come to help her in the lab. Molly and Ginny were regular visitors and would often help her label the dozens of vials and pack them into neatly labeled cases. Severus would come once a week or so and help her brew. Usually brewing with Severus ended up with them snogging in a corner while potions simmered, but they were able to get work done as well.

Time passed and slowly the shelves containing supplies became much closer to empty while the finished product shelves were packed high with neatly labeled boxes each containing a supply of neatly labeled vials or tubs.

Brenna & Severus' second anniversary was spent getting a batch of Polyjuice potion through a rough patch. Brenna thought she may have enjoyed spending the day in her basement lab working with him more than if they'd gone out. He took her out to dinner the following night, but Brenna loved her potions anniversary even more.

Before too long it was nearing Christmas time. This would be the first time that Brenna would not be attending the traditional Malfoy Christmas ball. Instead she'd be celebrating the holiday with the Weasley family. It was rather like Brenna Malfoy would be intruding on Hermione Granger's life.

Severus would be coming over to spend the holiday with her. He really had no family to spend the time with, and neither did she now. The hard part was finding a Christmas gift for Severus, as well as gifts for Harry and the Weasley's. Lucius Malfoy was still a very real threat, and he had many friends. She wasn't allowed to go shopping without trained escorts. She certainly couldn't be seen out with Harry or any of the Weasley's either, as that would be quite out of character and obvious. Instead, Severus arranged for her to be accompanied by another Hogwarts staff member in the Order when he himself could not accompany her. That way it just looked like he had called in favors. Severus accompanied her on a few trips to buy gifts for the Weasley's, but Minerva McGonagall was along on the day she shopped for Severus.

Brenna still hadn't taken the plunge and told any of the Weasley's her secret yet, but it seemed as though they were starting to like Brenna more. Molly and Ginny were especially warm to her. Molly enjoyed having someone else around during the day, and Ginny treated her as a friend. She was starting to feel bad about keeping the truth from them. She had even managed to hang out with Harry and Ron a couple of times without a lot of argument.

She made up her mind to tell Molly when the two witches finished baking Christmas gingerbread. The kitchen was warm and smelled of cinnamon and nutmeg. It was incredibly cozy, and Brenna thought it would probably soften the blow of any news. The two women sat down with afternoon tea and fresh cookies.

"Molly, I need to tell you something, and I need you not to be angry with me." Brenna said shyly.

"What's wrong, dear?" Molly asked.

"I've been keeping a secret from you now for a long time, but I really want to tell you. At first we kept the secret for safety purposes, but that seems a little unnecessary now." Brenna said. She started nervously clenching her hands. Mother would certainly not approve of such an open display of her nerves. Then again, Mother didn't approve of being nervous, as she said it caused frown lines to appear on your face. Molly however, reached out and placed her warm hand comfortingly on top of Brenna's.

"I understand how difficult it is to tell a secret. I appreciate that you want to tell me, but you could abstain if it makes you too uncomfortable." Molly suggested. Brenna looked as though she might cry.

"No, I need to tell you this. Severus said it would be best to start with you alone before I tell the others." Brenna said.

"Is Severus making you share your secret?" Molly asked, alarmed and concerned.

"No! I have wanted to tell you since shortly after he brought me here to stay, but I hadn't worked up the courage. It's so much easier just to stay with the story." She paused for a few moments, trying to figure out the words to use.

"I- I used to go by a name other than Brenna Malfoy." she said. She stopped and looked at Molly. The older witch didn't appear shocked in any way, so she continued. "I never went to finishing school either. I was kidnapped from my family as an infant and raised in another home. I just found out three year and a half years ago that I was by blood a Malfoy."

"That's a big secret to keep, child." Molly remarked softly, squeezing her hand reassuredly.

"There's more. I led a very different life under the name and appearance my kidnappers gave me. I knew you before you met me, you see. I knew all of you, but I couldn't talk to you after the change because I was a Malfoy and you are the Weasley's. As you know, my parents don't think as highly of your family as I do."

"We have had longstanding difficulties with the Malfoy family. This is true." Molly replied.

"But… before I was Brenna Honoria Malfoy… I was… I was Hermione Granger." she blurted out. She looked nervously across the table at Molly Weasley. Molly was looking at her open-mouthed, seemingly unsure of whether to hug her or slap her across the face. Eventually one impulse outruled the other, and Brenna was pressed against a crying Molly. She didn't think she was also crying until she felt a tear run down the tip of her nose.

"Oh, we were so sad when Albus told us you were dead. No one knew just how that could have been possible. I'm so glad you're alive. And here you've been, right under our noses this whole time. No one even suspected. Oh the boys will be thrilled! How difficult it must have been for you to keep this from them all this time." Molly said.

"It was actually easier to keep it from Harry and Ron than anyone else. It was difficult on occasion, but they were pretty horrible to me at school. It was so easy to start treating them the way that Draco did when they treated me the same way."

"It's difficult for them when someone new comes along. Harry especially has never been that trusting of a person." Molly said.

"Even though I've been living here, under the same roof as them for nearly 9 months we can barely hold a conversation. I want to tell them, and I want them to realize how good of friends we could have been." Brenna said.

"When did you want to tell them?" Molly asked. "I'll support you, whenever you decide."

"Well, Christmas Eve is tomorrow, so why don't we tell everyone then. That way I have you and Severus there to support me."

That night Molly kept grinning a little whenever they made eye contact. She was glad she wasn't asking Molly to keep this secret for long. The whole Weasley clan was gathered at Grimmauld Place for the holiday, plus several of the regular editions.

Severus arrived in the morning on Christmas Eve. Brenna quickly pulled him upstairs. Safe within the confines of her room, she told him all about telling Molly and her plans to tell everyone else that evening. She was incredibly nervous, but Severus just hugged her tightly. It was exactly what she needed. He unpacked his small bag into a free drawer in Brenna's room. Courtesy of the many guests, they were spared the awkwardness of having to decide where Severus was going to sleep. There really weren't any free rooms in the house that were safe for guests. His options were to share Brenna's room or commute to and from Hogwarts every day.

The two lovers spent most of the morning upstairs, relaxing and enjoying each other's company. Severus was so much more relaxed when school was not in session, and Brenna delighted in seeing him laugh.

By afternoon the house was bustling with activity. As soon as Severus and Brenna set foot downstairs they were put to work. There was a massive amount of cooking and decorating to be done. Severus was put to work helping Arthur and the Weasley boys with decorations. Brenna had been dubbed an acceptable kitchen helper, so she was busy helping Molly keep up with the cooking and the baking.

A few hours later, the men were finished and relaxing in the parlor when Brenna was given a break to deliver some freshly baked Christmas goodies. She'd had a bit of an accident in the kitchen and was still decorated with flour despite her best efforts to get it all off. She was wearing one of Molly's old, pink ruffled aprons. Brenna however, had been looking like this for so long she failed to remember the ridiculousness of her appearance. She pushed open the doors to the parlor with the hand that wasn't busy carrying a tray of treats.

The men took one look at her when she walked into the room and started laughing. Brenna scowled at them all.

"If you gents want anything we've been slaving over, I suggest you stop laughing." Brenna said, glaring dangerously. Arthur smiled at her gently and took the tray.

"Oh we mean no offense, Brenna. It's just that it isn't very often that you get a chance to see a Malfoy looking quite like that." Fred replied. Brenna put her hands on her hips, huffed loudly, and stalked back out of the room.

AN: There we go, some drama and some comedy in the same chapter. Oh what the Christmas spirit has done to me. Only a few days of school left, then it's Christmas vacation!


	28. Chapter 28 Romance

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 28 Romance

Severus sighed loudly from the armchair where he was resting. Brenna angry was a bad thing, especially when he had to share a room with her for the next few days. He rose slowly from the chair.

"Where are you going?" Arthur asked.

"To make sure Brenna isn't too angry. She's not pleasant at all if she's upset." Severus replied. He grabbed a cookie off the tray before he left.

Brenna was standing in the corridor looking into a mirror. Severus stood behind her.

"Is it really that terrible?" she asked. He was somewhat relieved to hear that her feelings were hurt more than her anger was stimulated.

"No, my dear, domesticity suits you. That apron, however, is a monstrosity." he replied, wrapping his arms around her. It was the truth. He found the little bits of flour clinging to her face and hair quite endearing.

"Thank you," she said quietly. She was certain that he was being honest with her. Severus didn't lie about things as frivolous as appearances. It was one of the things she liked about him.

"Brenna! Where did you go? I need your help!" Molly called from the kitchen. Brenna rolled her eyes and headed back to the kitchen. Severus allowed himself a small chuckle before heading back to the parlor.

That evening the family was gathered in the same parlor, relishing in full bellies and warm bodies. All the Weasley's were there, as well as Severus and Hermione. Most of the other houseguests, like Remus and Tonks, had either headed out for a nightcap or gone upstairs early. Brenna had picked this time to tell Harry and the Weasley's about Hermione.

"So Brenna, what would you normally be doing tonight? What's the normal Malfoy tradition?" Ginny asked. She was always asking Brenna questions about life in a high-society wizard family.

"Well, Mother and Father hold a ball every Christmas Eve. If I were there I'd be wearing a gorgeous gown and twirling around the dance floor with Severus by now. At midnight all the guests leave, and we usually relax for a while before anyone can really go to sleep." Brenna replied, "But until a few years ago, my normal Christmas was about like this."

"What do you mean? Did you not get to go to the ball?" Ginny asked.

"No, you see, most of my personal history is a carefully crafted lie. I wasn't a Malfoy at all until three and a half years ago. I never went to finishing school, and I wasn't even named Brenna." she replied. She had everyone's full attention now.

"In all fairness, you were always Brenna Malfoy. You just didn't know it." Severus interjected. Brenna proceeded to explain the whole ordeal to them all. Harry and Ron looked suitably shocked. At first they didn't believe, but Severus and Molly backed up her whole story.

At the end there were lots of questions. Brenna was up several hours later than usual just answering all of their questions. She didn't really get a chance to speak to Harry and Ron alone, but it may have been just as well. They probably needed some time to process all the information anyway.

That night she was lying in bed next to Severus. It was a rather strange feeling. It wasn't that she disliked having Severus on the other side of her bed at all; it was just strange. They didn't usually have the opportunity to have pillow talk. The only time they'd shared a bed before, Severus was terribly injured.

"I think they took it well." Severus said, referring, of course, to the Weasley's and other members' of the Order's response to Brenna's news.

"I suppose. No one really had a lot to say, just a lot of questions. I guess it will just take a while to sink in. Harry and Ron were especially quiet though." she replied. "I hope they just need a little more time."

"Please don't be too disappointed if your friendship with them doesn't go back to the way it was before." Severus said.

"I won't. I don't think it ever would be the same anyway, not after having been on the other end of their egos." They lay in silence for a few moments.

"Did you miss the ball?" Severus asked.

"Kind of. I know I'd only been to a few, but they were fun. I missed having a beautiful dress and waltzing around the room, but tonight was nice too. I'm still with you, and that's the only part that really matters."

"I must say that I rather missed the ball. It was about the only Christmas tradition I had. It's pompous and frivolous, but it can be enjoyable. I did enjoy spending more quiet time with you though."

"The Weasley's don't get that interested in celebrating Christmas Eve. They're more Christmas day kinds of people."

The next morning was crazy. Brenna and Severus slept in for the first bit of it, waking refreshed and wrapped around each other. By the time they got downstairs Christmas was in full swing. The Weasley's and Harry were busily opening and admiring presents in the living room. Severus and Hermione had already exchanged gifts in the privacy of their room. Brenna was thrilled with her charmed bracelet, and Severus was relishing his new cloak.

Severus went to the library to read while Brenna headed to the kitchen to make some tea. She was sitting at the kitchen table sipping her tea when Harry, Ron, and Ginny entered. The sat down at the table with her.

"Hi." Harry said simply.

"Hi." Brenna replied.

"Look, we just wanted to say that we've been real prats. You're our friend, and we should be treating you like it." Ron said.

"The thing is- I never treated you differently. You disliked me at first because of my name, but even in all the time I've been here you haven't accepted me. Our personalities just never clicked again. It's okay that we're not close friends like we used to be. It has been a long time." Brenna said.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I just mean that a lot has changed in the last few years. I've changed; you've changed. Maybe the fact that we aren't close friends already means that our friendship would have been fading right now regardless. Besides, I didn't tell you my secret just so you'd be my friends again. If we all just go back to the way things were I'll never know if you guys really are my friends."

"That makes sense." Ginny said. The two boys looked at her confused. Clearly, it did not make sense to them. Ginny sighed. "You go. Mum was looking for you earlier. I'll try to explain it to them." Brenna nodded and left the kitchen with her mug of steaming tea.

The rest of Christmas Day was a bit more pleasant. Brenna spent time with Severus and the Weasleys. She found herself missing Draco and her mother quite a bit though. She'd been away from them for so long that she didn't always feel homesick anymore, but she did miss them today. Severus was a great comfort when she was feeling particularly sad. He didn't say anything or do anything in particular, he just sat and read his book while she curled up on the couch next to him and stared off into space, lost in her own thoughts.

The next day Brenna could tell that Severus was nervous about something. He was more restless than usual, and he even snapped at Harry and Ron once. She presumed he had something wonderful planned for their date that evening. He had told her that he was going to take her out somewhere very special. She didn't question his strange behavior. This was something she'd ignore at least for a day or two. Molly Weasley however wouldn't ignore it and dragged him off for questioning promptly after lunch. They talked for about half an hour. Afterward, Severus seemed a little more relaxed, and Molly was decidedly perky.

Brenna was excited to get out of the hustle and bustle of the house for an evening. Severus took her to the little Italian restaurant they'd gone to on their first date. After a wonderful dinner they walked through London a bit. It was late when they got home, and they went straight to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate. The whole rest of the house was quiet.

"Thank you for a wonderful night out." Brenna said as they sat down with their drinks.

"You're quite welcome." They drank for a few minutes, allowing the hot chocolate to warm them from the inside out.

"There's one more thing I wanted to do today." Severus said quietly.

"What is it?" Brenna asked.

"I wanted to give you something." Severus replied. Brenna waited patiently as Severus reached into the pocket of his new cloak.

"Brenna, I think you know how deeply I care about you. This is not something that I take lightly. I haven't felt quite like this about anyone ever before. I love you." he said quietly, reaching into a coat pocket and pulling out something.

"I love you too." Brenna replied.

"Will you marry me?" he asked, opening the box to reveal a beautiful diamond solitaire flanked by two small emeralds on a silver band. Brenna was so in awe that she just looked between him and the ring for a moment. It took a few moments for her brain to register that she hadn't responded yet.

"Yes! Yes!" she choked out through the tears that were starting to fall. Severus reached out to her and kissed her soundly.

AN: I know it's short, but it's pleasant. Think of it as a Christmas candy.


	29. Chapter 29 The War

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 29 The War

Severus and Brenna delighted in telling everyone of their engagement the following morning. Everyone seemed to be very happy for them. The happy couple agreed not to set a date at present because they wanted to get married after the war ended.

It turned out that they didn't have too long to wait. Shortly after their third anniversary that summer, the Order was called to Hogwarts on urgent business. It seemed to all that the school would be the site of the last great battle. The Dark Lord and his followers were organizing in the countryside beyond Hogsmeade. The Order was setting up camp inside the school. All of the Order members were gathered in the Great Hall awaiting Dumbledore's arrival with plans and battle strategy.

When the wizard finally arrived, he was not alone. At his side, looking thoroughly shamed was Draco Malfoy. Brenna jumped up as soon as she saw him and ran to embrace her younger brother. They held each other tightly for a moment.

"I've missed you so much." Brenna whispered.

"I missed you too." Draco replied. "I'm on your side now."

"You've always been on my side, Draco. I knew you were never a real Death Eater." Brenna said.

"How could you have known?" he asked.

"You're my younger brother. You can be mean and nasty, but you are not evil. You are not a killer," she answered. She led him over to the others and found him a seat with her and Severus.

"Mr. Malfoy has defected and joined our ranks." Albus said simply. He then began assigning different tasks to the Order members. Brenna already knew that she would be assisting Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing. Severus would be defending the school from the back, helping Albus coordinate the offensive. Harry was being protected near the middle. They didn't want him on the front lines, but they wanted to be able to get him to the Dark Lord in a timely fashion when it was appropriate.

Brenna distributed some of the potions she had created. There was enough for all of the Order members to have a dose of Fire Protection Potion and Strengthening Solution. Severus then distributed his nasty little gift to everyone. He had created a tablet that, if chewed, would afford the chewer a reasonably quick and painless suicide. It was created in case someone was taken hostage. Brenna sincerely hoped no one would need it.

After a brief pep talk they all moved to their respective stations to wait. They didn't have to wait too long. Within an hour, the Dark Lord's forces moved through Hogsmeade and breached the gates of Hogwarts. Before long, Brenna and Poppy were dealing with injured Order members. They were up to their elbows in bodily fluids and wounded fighters. After many hours a cheer went up, and they knew that the Dark Lord himself had been defeated. It was several hours later though, before able-bodied Order members reentered the castle without bearing the body of another.

The stress of dealing with all the injuries was immense. Brenna conducted triage, treated most of the minor injuries, and helped Poppy with healing some of the more complicated injuries. It was exhausting. After several hours, Brenna found that her long hair was both hot and cumbersome. For her own sanity, she cast a slicing hex on it, cutting it just above her shoulders.

Most of the Order members suffered some sort of minor injury. After the war was over, they extended the Great Hall into another hospital. This was where Brenna took charge of the less severely injured fighters. She distributed blood replenishing potions, pain relieving potions, burn healing potions, and every other type of potion she'd created to the patients lying in long rows of cots. She hadn't seen Severus or Draco, and she hoped that they weren't in Madam Pomfrey's ward.

She saw Severus in the wee hours of the following morning. By this point Brenna was beginning to feel exhausted. She was in a never-ending cycle of medical treatment. She had just finished giving Fred Weasley another dose of pain relieving potion when Severus came up and handed her a sandwich.

"Eat. You need to keep your strength up," he said simply. Brenna took the sandwich in one hand and hugged him closely.

"I'm so glad to see you. Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm as well as you right now." he replied. "It's over. We're finally finished with this war."

"Where's Draco?" she asked.

"He's in my quarters asleep. He is uninjured as well." Severus replied. He sat with her as she ate the sandwich and hurried back to work.

When Brenna had been awake and working for nearly 48 hours Albus announced that there were enough of them that were well that they could take care of themselves for a while. He dismissed Brenna and Severus both to sleep for a few hours. They were both so exhausted. Brenna wasn't able to take in Severus' personal quarters at all, though she'd never been there before. She barely noticed Draco asleep on the couch. She simply followed her fiancé mindlessly to bed. All she noticed was that her fiancé's bed was very comfortable. She was fast asleep within minutes, as was Severus.

Brenna awoke ten hours later feeling refreshed. She was now able to feel the joy of their victory. Severus was still asleep. She snuck out of the bed and found her way to his bathroom. She'd heard bathrooms in bachelor pads were notoriously disgusting, so she was grateful that the house elves kept everything at Hogwarts clean. His rooms were in some ways exactly what she would have expected- mostly black, green, and silver, very masculine furniture, and a tendency toward dark stained hardwood. What surprised her though was how comfortable everything was. She was in the dungeons of the school, but she didn't feel cold or trapped at all. The furniture was all very comfortable. There were very few personal effects in the space, as Severus wasn't a fan of brique-a-braque. Everything was organized neatly and effectively.

Severus woke up while Brenna was still exploring his quarters. They changed clothes and walked back upstairs to go back to work. The mood in the Great Hall and changed a lot while they were gone. There was now a note of celebration in the air. Everyone had gotten a chance to rest now, and healers from St. Mungo's had come in to move some of the severe patients and treat the less severe injuries in Brenna's absence. The four houses common rooms had been raided during their sleep, and the Hall now resembled a huge lounge and game room area. Where there were cots a few hours ago there were now sofa, chairs, and poufs. All around people were talking, laughing, playing chess or cards. Draco came up to them almost as soon as Severus and Brenna had entered.

"Isn't it great?" Draco asked.

"What happened?" Brenna replied.

"Well, it was Potter's idea actually. He said that since the war was over and we had won, we should be celebrating, not moaning about. So, all those who are able are now relaxing and celebrating the end of the dark days." Draco said. Brenna nodded. She understood the desire to celebrate, but there was so much work to be done. They had to identify all of the deceased and bury or cremate them. The grounds needed to be searched thoroughly or anything that would disrupt the existence of Hogwarts as a school. The world needed to be notified. She turned and walked to the front doors, Severus right behind her.

Outside the work was just beginning. The Ministry had come to Hogwarts. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was vigilantly working on identifying the bodies of deceased Death Eaters and notifying families. Other Ministry officials were combing the grounds, finding abandoned wands, trinkets. suicide caplets, and the occasional severed body part. There was nowhere for them to help here either, so the couple went back inside. They found Draco just after he lost a game of Exploding Snap to Bill Weasley.

"Draco, have you talked to Mother?" Brenna asked.

"Not since before I left." Draco replied. Brenna gasped.

"Come on then, we're going home," she ordered, grabbing his arm and practically dragging him to the fireplace.

Malfoy Manor was oppressively quiet when you were alone there. When Draco, Brenna, and Severus stumbled out of the fireplace the quiet was all that met them. Brenna knew it would take them a long time to search all the rooms of the house for Mother, so she decided to call for a house elf. They had a way of knowing where everyone was.

"Tippy!" Brenna called. In a moment the elf appeared, bobbing in happiness.

"Miss Brenna has returned. Tippy is so glad to be seeing you, she is. What Tippy can do for you, Miss?"

"I need to know where Mother is please." Brenna said kindly.

"Mistress is being in her room, miss. Mistress is in her room for last three days." the house elf responded.

"Thank you Tippy." Brenna said before leading the way out of the office and up to the third floor.

*****

Narcissa Malfoy was in a state. Her husband had been thrown in Azkaban. Her daughter had been in hiding for a year, and her son disappeared suddenly days ago. She knew that the war was being fought at Hogwarts. It bothered her to know that she could be of no assistance. She didn't even know if her beloved children were still alive. There was also the lingering fear that, depending on how the war played out, she may not live much longer either.

It was really enough to make her wish she could go fight. Narcissa knew that she would be standing on the sidelines while others did the work though. She wasn't even capable of fighting. It pained her to think of it, but Narcissa Malfoy was not a powerful witch at all. She got along well enough in school, but she barely got any NEWTs. Marrying well hadn't helped either. She hadn't really needed to do much magic as the wife of Lucius. He did almost everything that a house elf couldn't do, so Narcissa herself did very little magic anymore. She could charm hair and makeup and perform a few organization tricks, but she didn't know any defensive or offensive magic. She certainly would be of no help in a battle, not to anyone.

Instead, Narcissa did what she knew how to do. She waited. She holed up in her room waiting for something. She wasn't even sure exactly what she was waiting for. It could be the return of Draco, the arrival of Aurors to arrest her, or anything in between. She didn't know what she wanted or how she wanted things to end. She would just wait and accept whatever happened. The waiting, however, was torturous. Her thoughts grew more peaceful when she heard thundering footsteps up the stairs. It was certainly more than one person. In all likelihood, these were Aurors to arrest her on suspicion of being a Death Eater. She'd be sent to Azkaban to live out the rest of her days. It wasn't the happiest of endings, but at least the waiting was over.

The surprise came when Brenna hurried into the room, quickly followed by Draco and Severus.

"Brenna!" she cried.

"Mother!" her daughter responded. The two witches ran to each other and hugged tightly, crying and laughing at the same time.

"The war is over, Mother." Draco said.

"What happened?" she asked. There was really no other unbiased way to ask who won.

"The Order won. The Dark Lord is dead, truly destroyed this time." Severus replied.

"Praises be." the older witch replied.

"Wait! What?" Brenna asked, looking at her mother stunned. "I thought you were a supporter!"

"Your father was a supporter of the Dark Lord. I agreed with his stance on the issues when he first started rallying followers. Times were different then. But after a while things started to change. They started killing and torturing innocent people. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named started making more radical statements. Eventually it got to the point where he controlled our lives. I no longer agreed, but I couldn't say anything or give any reason to believe that I didn't agree. If I had, your father and I and eventually you two would have been killed. That man dictated our lives for far to long, so yes, I'm glad he's gone."

"Oh Mother!" Brenna said, hugging her closely.

"Now, I think we need to move to another area of the house and catch up." Narcissa said. She led the way out of her personal rooms and downstairs to the sunny sitting room that she knew Brenna preferred.

They spent an hour or so just talking before Narcissa noticed the engagement ring on her daughter's finger.

"Congratulations. How long have you two been engaged?" she asked.

"Six months. We were waiting until after the war to marry." Brenna replied.

"I suppose you'll be getting married soon then?" Draco asked.

"We hadn't really talked about it. It's been so busy you realize." Severus said.

"I think we should get married this summer. I don't want to have to wait until Christmas time." Brenna said.

"That seems like a wonderful idea to me." Severus replied.

"Excellent. I suppose you'll need her dowry then, Severus. I'll have the money sent to your Gringotts vault first thing tomorrow." Narcissa smiled. Severus nodded.

"W-wait. I have a dowry?" Brenna asked.

"Of course you do. All Pureblooded girls have a dowry. Yours is a bit larger than most, I suppose, but we're a bit wealthier than most."

"How much is it?" Brenna asked.

"Five hundred thousand galleons." Narcissa replied. "And don't you say anything about it. I'll be paying for your entire wedding too."

Brenna gapped like a fish for a few moments, but she didn't say anything. Eventually conversation moved on. Severus and Brenna returned to Hogwarts late that night. Brenna was tempted to move back to Malfoy Manor, as her mother and brother expected, but she felt that she was still needed at Hogwarts. Students weren't allowed to be in residence during the summer months, but fiancées were perfectly acceptable.

AN: Hope you enjoyed it. All sources say that I'm going to be snowed in this weekend, so there will likely be at least one more chapter posted in the next couple of days. We've only got one more chapter and the epilogue left to go now.


	30. Chapter 30 The Wedding

Surprisingly Pure- mypseudonym

Chapter 30- The Wedding

Brenna spent the next six weeks working furiously on her wedding plans. She was going to have as simple a wedding as Mother would allow in the Great Hall. She decided on classic black and white for colors. Severus was pleased with this choice. He was very helpful when it cam to wedding planning except that he snuck off to Hogsmeade every couple of days and was gone for the entire day. When he came back, he would answer no questions about where he had been or what he had done all day. He was quite lucky that Brenna was secure enough that she didn't assume he was cheating on her.

Draco quit his job at the Ministry and was busy putting together a band with some musician friends. He was a little bitter when Brenna said she wouldn't hire his band for the reception, but Albus booked them for the Halloween dance. Severus asked Draco to be his best man at the wedding. Brenna asked Ginny Weasley. Soon after, Draco and Ginny began disappearing with Severus into Hogsmeade, and none of them would tell her what was going on.

When Severus, Draco, and Ginny were all missing for the entire day right before the wedding, Brenna was livid. No one but her was here to see to all the last minute details, the decorating, and welcoming some of the guests. Even Mother had disappeared by lunch. After dinner Brenna settled herself in the living room of the quarters she shared with Severus to await his return. She wouldn't be sleeping there that night to make sure that they didn't see each other before the wedding. She loved him, but she had some questions that needed to be answered before they got married. Severus walked into the room around eight o'clock that evening looking quite tired.

"Where have you been? Do you even realize all the preparations that were going on here today? I had to do everything alone!" she railed. She'd sat and held her temper long enough. Severus just smiled at her.

"I was finishing your wedding present. Draco, Ginny, and your mother were helping me because it had to be finished today."

"What could possibly be taking this long, Severus?" she asked, grateful that he wasn't doing anything obviously bad.

"I'd like to show you tonight, if you'll come with me. There's a carriage out at the front entrance for us." Severus said. Part of the reason they worked well was that her temper didn't really seem to faze him at all.

Before she knew it, Brenna was sitting in one of Hogwarts' thestral-drawn carriages trundling off toward Hogsmeade. They passed through the main gates and into town, passing the major landmarks of Brenna's childhood. They stopped in front of a new building. It was clear from the layout in front that it was some kind of store, but there was no sign.

"So what do you think?" Severus asked.

"What am I looking at?" Brenna asked.

"I took the dowry money and I bought this building. I reconverted it into an empty store. I thought you could start your own apothecary. It would give you an outlet for your gardening, give you something to do while I'm away at school, and keep you close enough to Hogwarts that I can see you regularly." Severus said.

"That's a fabulous idea! Thank you." she responded.

"There's more." Severus said, climbing from the carriage and helping her down as well. He led her through a gate beside the building. There were nearly two acres of earth behind the building. There were two greenhouses off to one side of the yard. The rest had been blocked off into beds of tilled ground with stone pathways in between. "It will be easier to run a business when you're growing the product in the backyard."

They walked through the empty ground for a few minutes as Brenna soaked in what she had been given.

"This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever given me, Severus. Thank you," she said, a tear leaking from the corner of her eye. Severus pulled her into a tight hug. "This must have taken you forever to do."

"It was three days of hard work for Draco, Ginny, and myself." he said, "I have more to show you, but I don't want to make you cry."

"I'll try not to, but this is just incredible." Brenna said, wiping her eyes. Severus led her back out to the street and turned her so that she was facing with her back to the store looking down the street. He drew her attention to a stone house that was just on the other side of the garden gate from the store.

"Welcome home." he said, leaning down to whisper it in her ear. Brenna raised both hands to her face and gasped. She had a business to develop, a fabulous garden, and a gray stone cottage. No wonder he'd been disappearing for so long.

The inside of the house was finished. It was the perfect blend of herself and Severus. It was clean and simple, yet warm and welcoming. It was also a bit bigger than it originally appeared. Downstairs were two living areas, though one was more like a library with all the books it contained. This room was also their office area. There was a kitchen, a small dining room, and a bathroom. Upstairs was their master suite with large closet and bathroom. There were also three other bedrooms and two additional bathrooms. Brenna couldn't help but smile at the thought of her and Severus' children asleep in those rooms someday. There was an underground tunnel that connected the house and the basement of the store, which Severus had set up as his summer lab space. That meant she could change buildings in the front, through the garden, or underground. The amount of work Severus and her loved ones had put in was just amazing.

"I feel like such a horrible person now for being angry with you, Draco, and Ginny while you were out here doing all of this." she said.

"Don't be angry. I was doing all this out of love, and they came to help out of love." Severus said, coming up behind her.

"I love you, Severus Snape." she said, kissing him.

"I love you, Brenna Malfoy." he replied.

They rode back to Hogwarts cozied up in the back of the carriage. Once inside the castle they had to head to their separate sleeping rooms. This would be the first night they'd spent apart since the battle. Severus returned to his chambers while Brenna headed to the Gryffindor Tower to stay with Ginny and the rest of the Weasley's.

Brenna walked up the stairs to the House where she lived for 6 years. It felt odd, like wearing someone else's shoes. The route was familiar, but she felt as though the year she spent as a Slytherin meant as much or more than her six years as the brains of the 'Golden Trio.' Still, she was thrilled with her life. She had a wonderful and supportive mother and brother, a hobby that would soon become her job, and tomorrow she'd be marrying the most wonderful wizard in all of Europe.

She entered the common room with these happy thoughts in her head. She walked straight up to Ginny in a room crowded with Weasley's and gave her a big hug.

"Thank you," she said simply. Ginny chuckled.

"I take it he showed you then?" she asked.

"Yes, and it's the most fabulous thing anyone has ever done for me. You helped him, so I thank you too." she said.

"What's going on girls?" Molly asked. She was seated in a chair surrounded by her knitting. It was then that Brenna looked around to find Harry and all the Weasley's staring at them. Harry & Ron had even interrupted a game of chess. Arthur was watching them over the top of his book. Fred & George were standing mischeviously to the side of the room. Percy had stopped mid-paper sorting, a stack still levitating.

"The professor just gave Brenna her wedding present. It's huge, and I helped him. She was just thanking me for helping him." Ginny said.

"Well, what was it, dear?" Molly asked.

"A life. He made me a life." Brenna said. She started crying again. Molly moved to hug her and looked at Ginny for answers.

"Well, there's a house in Hogsmeade. He bought it, and we've fixed it up and furnished it. Beside the house is a storefront where Brenna can sell the plants she grows in her garden, which is behind it all. He's been working on it for weeks, even with Draco and I helping. It's really quite impressive." Ginny explained.

"It's…. the most wonderful thing." Brenna said in Molly's shoulder.

"It is, dear, but you've got to stop crying. We don't want you all puffy for tomorrow, now. Why don't you wash your face and try to get some sleep. It's been a very busy day today, and you've got another busy day tomorrow. Ginny will go upstairs with you." Molly said. Dolce wound himself around her legs. Brenna nodded, scooped up her cat, and began to walk upstairs. She dropped Dolce off in her room before heading to the common bathroom to ready for bed.

Ginny was brushing her teeth when Brenna came in.

"Ginny, I know we decided to all take separate dorm rooms since we were able, but I really don't feel like being alone tonight. Would you stay with me?" she asked. It would be weird to sleep without someone next to her in bed, but she could at least have the sounds of someone else sleeping in the room.

"Sure, Brenna. I'll just gather my stuff and head to your room." Ginny said after she spat and rinsed. Brenna smiled and began her own nightly routine.

Brenna barely slept at all the night before her wedding, not that she really expected to. She was a bundle of nervous energy. It was quite good that she'd asked Ginny to stay with her. Knowing that she needed to stay quiet so that Ginny could sleep kept Brenna in bed and relaxed enough that she did nap a little. She would have been up and fretting all night rather than lying quietly in bed listening to Ginny breathing.

When she could see the sun peeking over the Forbidden Forest, Brenna consented defeat. There would be no more sleeping until she was a married woman. Brenna rose from her bed and quietly padded back to the bathroom.

A long, hot shower later and Brenna felt much more awake. She was getting married today! By dinner that night she'd be Mrs. Severus Snape. The thought was thrilling that they would finally be married after all this time. She climbed out of the shower and dressed in the clothes she had brought along- one of Severus' white button-up shirts and a pair of gym shorts. She couldn't wear anything that had to be pulled over her head to take it off, and wearing Severus' shirt made her feel closer to him. She knew he wouldn't mind, as he liked it when she would prance around his rooms on the occasional morning wearing nothing but the shirt he wore the day before.

She brushed her hair carefully and walked downstairs. Since she was confined to the tower until the wedding, the house elves had delivered a breakfast buffet to the common room. Molly, Arthur, and Percy Weasley were already awake and munching on various breakfast items. Brenna fixed herself a plate and sat down.

"Your special day has finally arrived. Are you excited?" Molly asked.

"Yes, it seems like Severus and I have been together for so long. It will be nice to be married after all this time." Brenna said.

"I suppose it is a bit unusual for couples to court for three years. Arthur and I courted for almost a year. I can't even imagine the agony you're going through not being married."

"I wouldn't exactly call it agony. Technically, Severus and I threw all of the original terms of the contract out the window, aside from waiting at least two years. We've had a lot of time to become very comfortable with each other. I don't think marriage will even be that much of an adjustment from how we've lived the past few months." Brenna said.

"It probably won't be, at least for the first few weeks. By then he'll be teaching again and you'll be hard at word establishing your gardens." Molly said.

"I don't figure I'll be able to do much for a few months in the gardens. I'll just try to get some things growing in the greenhouses. It will soon be far too cold for plants in the ground. Even the heartier plants that will grow in the winter won't survive without all summer to put down roots." Brenna said.

"What do you suppose you'll do then?" Molly asked.

"I figure I'll take a while to learn how to manage a house, and I've got to learn how to run a business. Maybe I'll take a class or something." Brenna replied. "By March it will be time to start planting bulbs and getting the ground ready for large scale planting in the early spring. Hopefully I could have an apothecary up and running successfully in a year."

"I'm sure you'll do fine, especially if you keep the things that Severus' students use in Potions kits in stock. It's about time Hogsmeade had an apothecary. The students shouldn't have to send off to London every time they need something." Molly said.

"Have you considered selling potions out of the store as well? A lot of people, despite schooling, are not able to competently brew basic potions on their own. There might be a good market for basic medicinal potions, cleaning potions, and the like. I haven't heard of any apothecaries doing that end of the business as well, so it might give you a leg up." Percy said.

"I think I'll leave potions brewing questions to the expert. I'm a competent brewer, but I don't know if I can manage a store, keep up with such a large garden and brew potions all at the same time." Brenna smiled.

"That might be wise." Arthur said.

"And have you thought about children? It would be difficult to even manage the garden and the store with little ones underfoot." Molly said.

"I know that if we have children at all it won't be for a few years yet. We're not ready for that. We don't even know for sure if we want to have children. I would feel badly for them with Severus away so much being here, and neither one of us is sure if we even want children." Brenna explained.

"There's my sister, the beautiful, blushing bride!" Draco called, climbing through the portrait hole.

"Hi Draco." she said in return greeting. They hugged each other tightly.

"I can't believe you're getting married today. You're going to make me a brother-in-law." he said. "Today is going to become that day that you badger Severus about because he doesn't remember the date."

"I'm sorry, have you met my fiancé? He doesn't forget anything, ever. Sometimes I wish he would just forget one little detail so I'd know he's human." Brenna laughed.

"Well perhaps you'll get your wish some day. Anyway, I just came to say hi and warn you that Mother is on her way. She's intent on helping you with every little thing. If you should need me, I'll be down in my future brother-in-law's quarters sipping brandy and making sure he doesn't pace a hole in the rug. You can have one of the Weasley's floo and I'll be right up." Draco said. He kissed the top of her head and scurried out.

Downstairs the men were gathering in Severus' quarters, relaxing before the wedding. Draco sat comfortably on one end of the couch, sipping on a scotch and water. Remus Lupin sat across the room with a cup of tea. Severus busied himself with small tasks around the room, unable to stay seated for more than a few minutes. Albus Dumbledore's sparkling blue eyes followed the wizard on his sixth trek across the room.

"Severus, you should sit. You're going to worry yourself to death." Albus said.

"Truly, Brenna is more calm than you are right now. Sit down." Draco smiled. A part of him was glad to see that Severus Snape was not so unflappable as he seemed.

"She's well this morning?" Severus asked.

"Yes, I don't think she got a lot of sleep last night, but she's happy, gorgeous, excited, and much less nervous looking than you." Draco explained.

"Honestly Severus, you're not getting married for another 5 hours. Calm down." Remus said. Since Lupin's return to Hogwarts as a professor, he and Severus had struck up an odd but friendly relationship.

The afternoon was spent with various members of the wedding party checking on all the details and reporting back to Brenna or Severus, who remained sequestered. A couple of hours before the wedding the women descended on Gryffindor Tower will dressing Brenna as their sole purpose. Narcissa Malfoy, Molly and Ginny Weasley were the driving forces. They fixed Brenna's hair into waves of tight spiral curls arranged artfully to hold her veil. They applied her makeup, though she didn't need to wear much. They helped her put on her dress, jewelry, and her shoes. Severus' wedding preparations were quite the opposite. He dismissed everyone from his quarters and dressed alone, reflecting in the silence.

Finally everyone took his or her place in the Great Hall for the ceremony.

Before long Hogwarts was the main event again, though at least this time there would be no deaths. It was three weeks before school was due to start again, and Professor Severus Snape was about to marry Brenna Malfoy.

The ceremony was brief and simple. Severus and Draco stood at the front of the room in black dress robes. Ginny wore a T-length black dress with white embellishments on the bottom 6 inches. Brenna looked stunning in her wedding gown. It was sleeveless and white with a black sash around her waist and black roses rising up from the hemline. . Brenna had seen other Wizarding weddings and wasn't impressed with the frivolous things brides tended to want in their wedding. Her wedding was taken from the same script they use for group weddings conducted at the Ministry and edited for just one couple. Severus rather liked the efficiency of it all. He didn't care for standing in front of the crowd, even if it was to pledge his love for Brenna. He would pledge his love to her every day that they were married, in ways no one else would notice.

There were about one hundred guests, Order members, teachers at Hogwarts, and friends. Most of the Malfoy family friends were in Azkaban, standing trial, or in hiding, and Severus didn't have any living family besides the other Hogswarts professors. Narcissa hadn't liked the small number at first, not until Brenna convinced her that having a smaller number of guests made the event more exclusive. Narcissa liked exclusivity.

He would pledge his love to her every day that they were married, in ways no one else would notice.

A few hours later Severus and Brenna were ready to sneak away from the reception in the room of requirement. They were nearly giddy with happiness, but they had both tired of being surrounded by people.

"We don't leave for our honeymoon until tomorrow, so where would you like to spend our first night as a married couple?" Severus asked her quietly.

"I'd like nothing more than to go to our new cottage and pretend we've been married for years already." Brenna replied, smiling at him.

"Then we shall be off." Severus said, leading her quietly from the room. They snuck to the front doors and walked off down the path to Hogsmeade. Brenna would reflect later that her first walk home as a married witch was one of her favorite moments early in her marriage. They held hands loosely as they strolled down the path, occasionally stopping to share a kiss. They were still wearing their wedding attire yet walking nonchalantly through a sleepy town. People were still about, but no one bothered the happy couple. They were oblivious to the sounds of the street anyway.

Finally they stood at the front gate of their cottage. Severus opened the gate and scooped his new bride into his arms before carrying her up the walk. Brenna giggled and curled into his body. She leaned out to open the front door of their home. Severus set her on her feet again just a little way inside the door.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Snape." he said, his face just inches from hers.

"Welcome home, Professor Snape." she replied before stretching upward to kiss him.

AN: Congratulations! I got snowed in. It has now been 48 hours since I've been able to leave, so you guys get a new chapter. The only thing left at this point is the epilogue, which I'm writing as slices of their life together in the next couple of years. It should be finished soon.


	31. Epilogue Slices of Life

Surprisingly Pure- my pseudonym

Epilogue- Slices of Life

The Malfoy-Snape wedding, through some unexplainable but fabulous turn of events, never hit the newspapers. They didn't take out a section in the wedding announcement column, but there is always a possibility of a larger article when war heroes from two well-known families marry. By the time school started in the fall, the Snape's were happily adjusting to married life, and not many would even have suspected that Hogwarts' grumpy Potions Master was married. He rather liked it that way. By virtue of his not being able to see Brenna much during the year, none of the Hogwarts students had been aware of their professor's romance, much less his post-war wedding.

Brenna planted seedlings in her greenhouses in the fall. She wouldn't plant anything in the outdoor beds until early spring. For now, the store would remain closed. At present, tending the plants in the garden and tending her house and husband was enough for Brenna. She'd never done so much regular housework in her life. Sure she'd helped out at the Granger's house, and she'd done numerous large projects with the Weasley's, especially when the Order first set up in Grimmauld Place. At Malfoy Manor she'd never had to lift a finger for a chore, unless she'd wanted to for some reason. She had quickly learned though that any chore above putting her own things away caused the family elves great offense.

At the cottage she had the use of one house elf, a wedding gift from her mother. Azana was a younger elf, but she was quite capable. She did most of the cooking and just a bit of housework during the day. Brenna did most of the house cleaning. It astounded her just how much work was involved, even though she and Severus were both tidy people.

When Severus went back to Hogwarts for the school year, Brenna started reaching out to the community of Hogsmeade to stop her loneliness. She found her neighbors to be very warm and welcoming. Mrs. Snape bought a Muggle bicycle to help her move around town more speedily. She ran most of her errands on her bike. Brenna struck up a good friendship with Rosemerta especially. She started taking lunch at the Three Broomsticks a few times a week to give Azana a break and to visit with her local friends. Severus would come and visit usually two or three evenings a week, staying the night at home. Sometimes he would get a weekend off and come home, but that was a very rare event.

On one Saturday in mid-September, just a few weeks into the year, Brenna rode her bike down to Rosemerta's for her lunch. She'd been working in the greenhouse all morning, so she was wearing a green gardening smock with khaki pants and a white tank. It was not unusual apparel for her to appear in public in anymore. Mother would be horrified.

She took her usual seat at the bar, and Rosemerta came over a minute later, bringing the butterbeer she knew Brenna would want.

"Hello, Brenna. How are the plants today?" she asked cheerily.

"They are growing quite well in the green houses. Thank you for asking." Brenna replied.

"Did you come into town today to meet your husband?" she asked, clearly ready for gossip.

"Not that I know of. He did ask me if I would be in town today, but I had no plans to meet him."

"It's the first weekend for the kids to come into town, you know." the barmaid said. Now that she'd mentioned it, Brenna did recognize that the streets were a bit more crowded than usual, and there were a lot of teenagers about. She'd caught a few staring at her as she walked in.

"Is it?" Brenna responded.

"Oh yes. The boys seem to like you too. It's not normal for them to see any pretty young women in Hogsmeade though. They're just giddy with excitement. You wouldn't notice it, but things have changed since you walked in a moment ago." Brenna casually glanced around the room. There were indeed several tables of teenagers watching her while they chatted.

"I don't understand what the big deal is. They don't know of my marriage, and I'm certainly nothing special to look at right now." she said quietly.

"My dear, even in your gardening clothes you're still the most beautiful person who will walk into my pub today. You can't help but be beautiful."

"Rosie, you'd better watch out. Flattery like that only causes problems." Brenna warned jokingly.

"M-Madam Rosemerta? We'd like six Butterbeers please." someone asked. Brenna turned to see a pack of boys, all looking to be sixth or seventh year students standing near her, all having come nearer just to look at her. Two or three of them would have been quite capable of carrying everyone's drinks back to a table.

"And you'll have them just as soon as I get this lady's order." Rosemerta said, not skipping a beat, "Now, Brenna, will it be your usual then?" she asked.

"Yes please." she replied. Rosemerta bustled away to fetch the stack of butterbeers.

"Oh, great, the Professor is here." one of the boy's grumbled. He was a Slytherin, but even they didn't take to every professor. She turned to see who they were talking about and saw Severus walking closer to the bar. She smiled brightly.

"Surprise." he said.

"It certainly is. I didn't know you were coming into town today, but I guess this explains why you asked if I was going to be here." Brenna said.

"I thought I'd surprise you." he replied.

"Well I'm thrilled to see you," she said, giving him a hug as he came up to her. They broke apart and he took a seat on the adjacent stool. Brenna could feel the boys' confusion behind her, but she focused on her husband. He too was ignoring the pack of boys. Rosemerta came back with the butterbeers.

"Professor! Come to have lunch with your wife today?" she asked, setting the bottles of butterbeer on the counter.

"Yes, Rosie, that was my goal." he replied. Brenna swore she could hear the boys gasp.

"Well then, what can I get for you?" Rosmerta asked as she watched the pack of boys stumble away from the bar.

"I'll have a French dip and crisps, if you please." Severus said.

"Rosemerta, I think you enjoyed that far too much. Now you know the whole school is going to know that the great 'dungeon bat' is married." Brenna chuckled.

"Oh they would have found out sooner or later anyway. When you're an old woman like me you'll find you have to get your kicks somewhere. Just seeing their jaws hit the floor when Severus walked up made my week." the older witch laughed.

* * *

That winter Brenna was faced with the exciting possibility of not one but two balls. Mother was continuing the tradition of the Malfoy Christmas Eve ball. In addition, she could accompany Severus to the Hogwarts Yule Ball. Severus had made it clear that the Hogwarts ball was more just a party. He would still be working in some capacity as a chaperone, and she would have to abide him keeping up his reputation for the evening. She still wanted to go, knowing that it would be fun to get out of Hogsmeade for a while and see her former professors and Severus' coworkers. She thought the idea of helping him keep up his greasy git persona seemed rather fun.

She commissioned Mrs. Sturgeon to tailor a new dress for the Malfoy ball, but she would wear one of her old ones to Hogwarts. She pulled out a black gown she'd worn before to formal dinners. She never wore it to dance, but a few experimental twirls in her bedroom verified that it would work. It wasn't too risqué for Hogwarts, and it was solid black. She packed her bag for the holiday. She would go to Hogwarts in the late morning of the 22nd. The Yule Ball was that night. On the 23rd after the students were safely on the train, she and Severus would travel to Malfoy Manor. They'd stay there until the day after Christmas. Azana had been sent of to visit her sister at the Manor. There was no point in the elf being alone in the cottage for nearly a week when she could be at the Manor spending time with her own family. Azana felt very honored by the whole situation.

It was a cold and snowy Christmas season. Brenna would have to walk to Hogwarts. She took great care in choosing her clothing for vacation, knowing that she needed to dress well inside both Hogwarts and her mother's home. She shrunk everything down until it fit in her cloak pocket. For the walk she was wearing black pants, a crisp white shirt and black witches robes. She wrapped a green scarf around her neck, pulled on her dragon-hide boots and gloves and her hooded grey woolen cloak. It took some coaxing to get Dolce into the cat carrier, but she managed to do it. She'd put a towel she'd charmed to stay warm in there so the poor cat wouldn't get too cold.

She arrived at Hogwarts while Severus was still teaching, so he was unable to meet her at the door. That wasn't necessary though, since she knew her way around the castle quite well. She wound her way, undisturbed, into the dungeons. She wasn't really recognized, by any of the students she passed, but they didn't bother her. She was rather hard to recognize anyway with her hood pulled up over her head. She couldn't open the door to Severus' quarters. He'd probably changed the password since that summer and not thought to tell her. It was very unusual for her to be at Hogwarts anyway. Brenna decided to take her things and wait in his office until he finished classes for the day. It was only about a half hour more.

She set Dolce's case down in the office and was about to let the cat out when she heard a shuffling noise from Severus' private ingredient closet. With a silent step she'd learned from her dear husband, Brenna crept around the corner to find a student raiding her husband's ingredient stores. She knew that this was where he kept some of the volatile or expensive ingredients necessary for potions he made for use by Hogwarts, primarily in the infirmary. The student inside couldn't have been more than thirteen. She crept up behind the girl and jabbed her wand in the girl's back while simultaneously grabbing her arm.

"Put it back." Brenna warned. Shaking slightly the girl replaced a neatly labeled jar. "What else did you take?"

"Nothing. Please, don't hurt me." the girl cried.

"Oh it's not my place to do anything to you. I'll leave that to your professor." she said. She took the girl's arm and led her out of the office and down the corridor to the Potions room.

"Enter." Severus barked when Brenna knocked briskly on the door. She pushed the girl ahead of her into the room.

"Please don't let her hurt me professor!" the girl cried.

"Miss Smith what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I caught her rummaging through your more dangerous potions ingredients. I brought her straight to you." Brenna said.

"Thank you, Brenna. Please put your wand away though, she's only a child." Severus said. She hadn't even noticed, but she was still holding her wand quite tightly.

"I'm sorry, Professor. You can put me in detention for as long as you want." the girl cried.

"Miss Smith we shall talk in my office. Class, finish brewing your potions. Mrs. Snape is in charge until I return." he barked. He led the small girl back out of the room, leaving Brenna standing in the middle of a room with thirty teenagers staring at her.

"What are you looking at? Get back to work!" Brenna barked, mimicking her husband's trademark attitude. She sashayed up and down the aisles surveying their work. It looked as though they were learning calming draughts, which meant this was a sixth year class.

The students were clearly terrified of her, perhaps even more so than her husband. She only imagined what they must think of her, but if their anxieties helped them to pay careful attention to their potions it was a good thing.

Severus returned about fifteen minutes later, carrying Dolce who was promptly handed off to Brenna. He instructed the students to bottle what they had made, label it neatly, and place their potions on his desk. They were dismissed three minutes early, which was unheard of in Potions. Brenna stood near the back of the room observing her husband while he wrapped up the lesson.

When the last student had scurried from the room, Severus offered his arm to his wife and led her down the corridor to his quarters. Brenna was shocked to learn that the new password to his rooms was her middle name. When they were safely inside his quarters, Severus wheeled around and kissed her soundly.

"I don't think anyone else could have come in and actually made me look like a nice guy." he laughed.

"I'm sorry, but you know I'm a bit cranky when I'm cold. Besides, she was stealing directly from your private stores." Brenna smiled.

"I seem to recall someone else doing exactly that her second year." he quipped.

"Yes, and all it did was put Harry and Ron into a dangerous situation and land me in the Hospital Wing for a week with whiskers and a tail!" she grumbled. Severus laughed.

"Oh well, I'm sure they thought anyone who would marry me would have to have a crazy streak." he said.

The ball was fabulous. She danced with Severus mostly, but some of the other professors as well. She got a chance to catch up with some of the Order members she'd grown close to. The students generally gave her a wide berth, especially when she was with Severus. The whole evening just made her even more excited for the Malfoy ball on Christmas Eve.

* * *

That summer when Brenna harvested her garden, Severus was there to help. All the newly clipped plants were put into the apothecary. They sold ingredients in their natural state, or one of them would prepare the ingredients as requested for a slight fee. Severus helped her get a stock of basic health and cleaning potions prepared. Before long business was booming. They had named the establishment The Greenhouse Apothecary and Pharmacy. Many who bought ingredients or potions there reported very favorably the effectiveness and quality of their purchases. This led to increased business.

In August they got a lot of orders for Hogwarts supplies. Parents all decided there could be no better ingredients for their children's potions kits than those sold by the Potions Master himself. Fortunately there were enough plants to keep up with all the orders, but Brenna was constantly planting seeds harvested from her own plants to keep up their supply.

At the end of the summer Brenna and Severus sat down to do the books and find out how much money the apothecary had made in its initial year. The number was not amazing in general, but it was rather astounding for a first year of operation. Without all the startup costs, their next year could be very profitable.

"Well my dear, it looks as though you've made a tidy sum this year." Severus said, kissing the side of his wife's head as they sat beside each other at the kitchen table, surrounded by the various account books.

"That's good, as we'll need to buy quite a bit of new stuff next year." Brenna said.

"What do you need? I thought we had most of what was needed to run the garden and store." Severus responded, confused.

"Well, I'll need some larger clothing first, then there will be a crib, lots of clothes, nappies, a lot of stuff really." Brenna said, smiling.

"Brenna! Are you…?" Severus asked, flabbergasted.

"Yes. I saw the doctor last week. Severus Snape, you're going to be someone's father," she told him. She looked at him nervously until he broke into a huge smile and hugged her tightly.

"You're going to be a fabulous mother, Bren." he said, kissing her.

"And I'm sure you'll be a wonderful father." she replied, chuckling a little.

* * *

The following March Brenna was so big from pregnancy that she was starting to have trouble moving. Severus was still at school, though he was making trips back much more frequently. She was tired and grumpy a lot more, and the baby hadn't even arrived yet. This made her even more stressed which just made the hormonal witch cry. Azana was a great help around the house at this time. Narcissa had also sent another house elf to help out for as long as they needed him. This one was named Solemar. He took over the house cleaning, leaving Azana to wait on her mistress. Severus started staying at home every weekend just to help, but her mood was stressing him out as well. Some days she refused to even get out of bed. She was too obstinate to see how he was worrying over her and her condition.

One day Brenna was upstairs in bed reading Witch Weekly. She could hear Severus downstairs talking to someone that sounded rather like her mother.

"She won't get out of bed. I'm so worried about her and the baby. The doctor says there's nothing wrong, but maybe they are mistaken." he said.

"Severus you've got to calm down. I will talk to her, and see if I can figure out what's going on."

A minute or so later and Narcissa Malfoy was standing in her doorway.

"Well I came up here and rather expected to see you dying, my dear." Narcissa said, surveying her daughter who was lying on top of the bed dressed in a bathrobe and holding a magazine.

"I'm sure I don't understand, Mother." Brenna replied, looking at her crossly.

"Do you really think that the discomfort you are feeling now is anything? Brenna dearest, this is the good part. The healers say there's nothing wrong with you medically, and yet you lie up here worrying your husband to death and making others care for your household."

"I'm so tired, Mother. I just don't feel like I have the energy to go about my daily work anymore. Severus can do this, just until the baby comes. It's only another six weeks."

"Brenna Honoria! You are not the first witch to be pregnant, and you certainly won't be the last. You cannot allow yourself to shut down. It will only get more difficult to manage everything when the baby comes. Right now, you only have to care for yourself, and your body naturally meets the baby's needs. Once that child is born it will run on its own schedule. You'll have to find ways to fit everything else in. You'll be very tired, especially for the first few months."

"What are you saying, Mother?" Brenna asked.

"I'm saying that you need to get your lazy behind off of that bed, get dressed, and meet me downstairs in ten minutes. We're going to get back to living today whether you like it or not. Meanwhile, I'm going to see if I can get your husband to sit down and rest for a moment. Ten minutes, Brenna, or I will come back. I'll not so nice the second time." she said.

"Yes, Mother." Brenna said. She waited until the older witch had left the room before she set her feet on the hardwood floor.

* * *

Brenna was still pregnant in April when it was nearing time for the major harvest. Her due date was only two weeks away, but Poppy kept telling her it was normal for first babies to come a little late. Still, it would be nearly impossible to harvest from the garden at her current size. She'd recently developed a productive waddle that Severus never failed to tease her about. Severus told her he'd come up with a way to harvest from the plants on time, but he wouldn't tell her how. He only told her to be in the garden at one o'clock Thursday afternoon.

It was five minutes till, and Brenna was walking in her garden, waiting for her husband. Dolce was near her side at all times now, though he had learned not to walk in front of her after a few near squashings. Brenna tried not to step on him, but she hadn't been able to see her own feet for a while now. She heard a bustle of voices on the road and waddled over to the gate to look out.

Pomona Sprout and Severus were leading a pack of about twenty teenagers up the road. Pomona smiled and waved at her cheerily. She hurried ahead to chat at the gate.

"How are you, Brenna?" she asked kindly.

"Enormous. And yourself?" Brenna replied.

"I'm well. Your husband talked me into a little field study. He said you needed help harvesting plants from the garden. We've brought our NEWT level classes. We thought you might give a little talk on professional gardening, then put them to work." Pomona explained.

"I suppose I could do that." Brenna said, smiling broadly. The seventh years had started to gather near the gate, awaiting instruction. Brenna didn't allow anyone in her garden without proper information and supervision, so she stepped outside the gate.

"Attention please, classes. This is Mrs. Snape. She runs the garden and apothecary here in Hogsmeade. She's going to talk to you about professional gardening, and then we're all going to get some experience by helping to harvest some of her ingredient plants." Pomona said as the 7th years quieted down. Severus stood quietly in the back.

"Hello everyone." Brenna started. "One of the most important parts of professional gardening is organization. I have to plan how to lay out my garden each year and how much of each type of plant to grow. I also have to be an expert in each plant, knowing exactly how to care for it and how to harvest at the perfect time. I learned to garden from my mother and from a few books. The plants you'll be working with today are all basic ingredient plants. That is the majority of what I grow in the garden due to supply and demand." she paused to look for understanding. The students all looked interested and excited.

"I have a few rules in my garden. These rules exist to protect the plants. First of all, I expect you to complete your tasks exactly as you are told. Harvesting is serious business, and I don't want to lose any plants due to carelessness. If you don't understand something, ask. Secondly, when you move within the garden you will walk only on the stone paths. This is the only way to know that you are not accidentally treading on any of the smaller plants or seedlings. Am I understood?" The students all nodded.

"Good, now you may come in, and I'll give you all a tour of the garden before we get to work. Be mindful to stay on the stone paths. I ask that the last person through the gate makes sure that the gate is shut and locked." Brenna said. She turned slowly and opened the gate again, squatting briefly to collect Dolce into her arms.

She walked the obedient students through the garden quizzing them on the plants and their uses. She told them about how each ingredient was grown, what special needs it had, etc. Finally, she divided them into small groups and set them to various tasks in the garden. She, Severus, and Pomona walked around supervising each group and helping when necessary. It was nice to see her garden neatly harvested despite the fact that she couldn't bend like that, much less get herself off the ground right now. Within an hour they were finished harvesting. Brenna had bags of fresh ingredients to prepare, and the students were trekking back to Hogwarts.

* * *

In early May Severus Snape did something he had never done before. He let a class out early without even giving them homework. It was late on a Wednesday afternoon at the time. He was brewing a potion with one of his fifth year classes to prepare them for taking the OWL examinations in a few weeks. The lesson was almost over- he was about to instruct the students to bottle their potions and clean up the mess, then he would interrogate them on their potions until it was time to dismiss.

The plan changed, however, when Azana popped into his classroom. Brenna's due date was last week, so he was expecting the house elf at any time. She merely nodded meaningfully at him before popping back out.

"Leave your neatly labeled vials on my desk and clean up your stations before you leave. Class dismissed." Severus said while walking quickly out the door. He hurried into his office and Flooed home.

He arrived in the living room and climbed the stairs two at a time to the bedroom where Brenna was in labor with their child. The midwife had just finished examining her. She was in labor, but delivery would not happen for a while yet. She decided to leave Brenna with her husband for a few minutes while she checked on arrangements for delivery.

"You made it." Brenna sighed happily. Severus took a towel and gently wiped the beads of sweat from her brow before kissing her lightly.

"Yes, I let a class out early and came right away." he replied quietly.

"I was so worried you weren't going to make it. I've been in labor for hours, but the midwife said it wasn't necessary to send for you just yet. She made Azana promise to follow only her orders until the baby was born." Brenna said.

"Brenna, I know it's not the best time, but I've been giving something a lot of thought. I think I need to retire from teaching at the end of this school year." Severus said seriously.

"But you love teaching. Not that I wouldn't love to have you around more, mind you." Brenna smiled.

"Exactly, you've been neglected the entire time we've been together because of the nature of my job. We're about to have a child. I don't want to leave you and our child alone for months out of the year, only seeing you on holidays and some weekends. I don't want to be that kind of husband anymore, and I don't want to be that kind of father." Severus said, resolutely.

"I'll be glad to have you home more, but what will you do? I know you won't be happy at home all the time."

"I had planned on helping you run the apothecary. Admittedly I'm not a lot of help in the garden, but I can brew potions, prepare ingredients and help run the store." Severus said.

"That would be wonderful." Brenna said, before gripping his hand tightly and scrunching her eyes as another contraction hit.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office that evening, just having returned from dinner. He knew quite well that his Potions Master had disappeared a few hours before, and he had brought in a substitute for a few days and assigned another faculty member to keep watch over the Slytherins.

After dinner was generally the time when Albus finished with the post and enjoyed a little light reading before retiring. Tonight though he found himself perusing the Hogwarts registration book. This weighty book held the names of all known wizard children who would be receiving Hogwarts letters in the coming years. Muggle-borns were added to the book as their abilities were discovered. Tonight Albus found his attention focused on the last page of the book, where names were actively added to the register. There were a few new names added to this page since the last time he'd checked. The aged Headmaster busied himself reading these names while he waited.

Finally, Albus saw a new name beginning to appear at the bottom of the list. Albus watched the register neatly enscribe the new entry, the one he'd been waiting to see. When it finished, Albus smiled, closed the book, and replaced it on the shelf.

FIN

AN: There you have it! The epilogue. I had a lot of half ideas that I really didn't need to draw out into full chapters, so I put them all back here. Hope you have enjoyed reading Surprisingly Pure.


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